PRODUCTIVITY AND “LIFE LINE” CONSIDERATIONS FOR RURAL WATER SUPPLY POLICY: AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC VIEW POINT / PRODUKTIWITEITS- EN OORLEWINGSOORWEGINGS VIR LANDELIKE WATER VOORSIENINGSBELEID: 'N LANDBOU-EKONOMIESE STANDPUNT

Abstract

Water is both an economic input and a basic requirement to sustain life. Efficiency and equity Considerations are therefore central to water supply and allocation. In South Africa the distribution of water resources is presently also under discussion. Eight principles are proposed in the White Paper on Water Supply and Sanitation Policy. These principles, although comprehensive, however lacks cohesiveness to guide the apparent conflict between efficiency and equity considerations. A policy 6amework to reconcile this conflict is developed in this paper.

Water behoort as beide 'n ekonomiese produkrie inset en 'n basiese lewensmiddel beskou te word. Doeltreffendheids- sowel as welvaart en billikheidsoorgings staan dus sentraa1 tot water ontwikkelings- en voorsieningsbeleid. Waterbeleid is tans onder bespreking in suid-Afrika. Agt beginsels word in die Witskrif oor Watervoorsiening en sanitasiebeleid voorgestel. Hierdie beginsels bied egter nie 'n baris om konflikte tussen doeltreffendheid en billikheid te beredder nie. Hierdie saak word in die artikel aangespreek en 'n beleidsraamwerk word voorgestel om sodanige konfikte aan te spreek.