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MBABANE, 1 May 2003 (IRIN) - Swaziland is facing a water crisis after hoped-for summer rains failed to materialise, and a dry autumn is expected to be followed by a rainless winter. 

Coming on the heels of last year's severe drought, the impact of the water shortage is already being felt, and is expected to worsen a national food emergency.

"We did not receive good rains this summer, particularly during the past three months. There were some scattered thundershowers during January and February, but not enough to affect run-off significantly," Raphael Sangweni, chief hydrologist for the Ministry of Natural Resources, told IRIN. 

At the headwaters of the major rivers that enter Swaziland from South Africa, there was not enough rain to raise river levels to their usual summer heights, Sangweni said. As a result, the entire summer went by without any rivers in Swaziland flooding.

"The Komati river was low, the Great Usuthu was low, the Lusushwana river was below normal, and feeder streams did not flow as they usually do during the rainy season," said agriculture ministry development officer Sipho Mnisi.

Currently more than 250,000 Swazis - one-quarter of the population - are dependant on food aid from the World Food Programme (WFP) because of crop failures. A WFP crop assessment in February found that 60 percent of the grain crops of subsistence farmers were destroyed by a January heat wave. 

Late season crops planted in February, particularly the national staple food maize, stood a chance if good rains fell through May. The rains did not come. According to the National Meteorological Service, March and April rains were down from the seasonal norm.

The effects of low rainfall are showing up in reservoirs that represent the nation's primary water resources. The Luphohlo Reservoir is performing best, at 75 percent of capacity. The Majoli Reservoir in northeast Swaziland is currently at only half of capacity.

Most disappointing is the new Maguga Dam, a joint Swaziland-South Africa venture that is the country's largest public works project. Opened last year by King Mswati III and South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, the dam was built to provide water for the nation's northwest Hhohho region, and pipe irrigation water for agricultural schemes in the parched eastern lowveld, where food shortages are most acute.

"Since it was built, the Maguga has never reached its capacity. The rains and the volume of the Komati river have not been there. Currently, the dam is only at 25 percent of capacity, and this is at the start of the dry season," said hydrologist Sangweni. South Africa is entitled to 60 percent of Maguga Dam water.

The natural resources ministry this week sent out notices to water consumers, from households to farmers, urging a cut back in water usage to avoid a crisis during the winter, when rains customarily cease entirely. If conservation measures fail, water rationing will follow.

Already, water officials are reporting areas of particular "water distress", including Siteki, the main town of the eastern Lubombo region, Lomahasha to the south, and the main southern town, Nhlangano. 

However, a new industrial estate built at Nhlangano as part of government efforts to decentralise industry out of the Mbabane-Manzini corridor and develop the southern Shiselweni region has increased water consumption. 

"If we run out of water in Shiselweni, it will be a blow to developmental efforts," said Bheki Dlamini, CEO of the Swaziland Industrial Development Authority.

In dry rural areas, private tanker trucks now sell water at R1 (US 0.14 cents) per 25-litre container.

Large-scale agribusinesses that are major water consumers have responded to mounting shortages in their communities with water aid. The Federation of Swaziland Employers has begun a drought relief programme, originally intended as food relief to hunger victims, but now also directed towards those without access to water.

[ENDS]