The Durban Metropolitan Area's (DMA) freshwater resources are under pressure from growing needs for potable water and waste disposal. There are 14 rivers traversing the DMA, most of which have been heavily modified through dams and canalisation. Many of them are contaminated with bacteria and suffer from seasonal nutrient enrichment. At certain times, several DMA estuaries are unfit for full contact recreation e.g. swimming. The modification of river functioning, where this has occurred, has resulted in loss of biodiversity, natural river purification functions and recreational and tourism opportunities. Canalisation has, however, made additional land available for industrial purposes. Increases in water consumption could result in water shortages within the next 15 to 20 years. Freshwater issues are being addressed through national and local policies and Durban Metro Water Services programmes. There is, however, no formal fresh water quality monitoring programme for environmental health.	What can you do to improve the situation
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The freshwater resources on which the DMA depends are under pressure from a range of human activities. The growing need for potable freshwater has resulted in five main dams being constructed on rivers flowing into the DMA. In addition, seven rivers have been subjected to canalisation in their lower reaches. The DMA's growing population and increased provision of waterborne sanitation has resulted in the production of increasing volumes of sewage requiring disposal. Much of this is treated and discharged either to the sea or into nine of the DMA's rivers. Estuarine reaches are negatively affected by catchment malpractices such as sandwinning, flooding due to catchment hardening, soil erosion, soil loss and siltation, acidification, runoff from informal housing and from the occassional accidental or illegal discharges from industrial activities.
The DMA has 14 rivers and is fortunate to receive high quality potable water which is mainly taken from the upper Umgeni River. The coastal reaches of several of the DMA's rivers suffer from eutrophication (nutrient enrichment). Most, if not all, of the DMA's rivers are contaminated with bacteria originating from untreated sewage arising from poorly serviced settlements or broken and blocked sewerage pipes. As a result, many of the DMA's estuaries are, at times, unfit for contact recreation. There are some large valley marshlands in the coastal reaches of the DMA's rivers and these aquatic systems perform valuable purification and ecological functions within the river system (eg the Ohlanga flood plain). Durban Bay, a marine dominated system associated with the Port, is the largest and most important estuary which still supports a wide range of marine species and habitats.
The current state of the DMA's freshwater resource is resulting in a loss of biodiversity and ecological functions of certain rivers and estuaries. Poor water quality in these rivers and estuaries may also result in a loss of recreational and tourism opportunities and, in extreme cases, threats to human health. The silting up of Durban Bay results in the need to carry out costly, and ecologically sensitive dredging to maintain the operations of the port.
The DMA's freshwater issues are being managed through national and local policies and Durban Metro Water Services programmes. At a local level, the Durban Metropolitan Environmental Policy Initiative sets out policy statements and implementation strategies for the sustainable use of freshwater resources. This is supported by initiatives by Durban Metro Water Services to plan for Durban's future water needs and manage waste water.