Ezinye iilwimi kule ndawo zingaguqulelwa ngematshini kwaye zingaquka iimposiso. Uncedo lokuyilungisa Funda isiNgesi esibhaliweyo
Amanzi angcolileyo aneemveliso ezidadayo.
Inkqubo yeBlue

Uthuli lweelwandle kunye namanzi

Umlambo wonke ngumbhobho wokuhambisa; into esiyikhuphayo mihla le elwandle, ifika namhlanje emzini, umlambo ke awuyibuyiseli.

Amanzi yindawo ebalulekileyo yokutshisa iplanethi. Ikhupha iiminerali ezisuka kumthi, ihambisa izityalo neziqhamo kwimithi kunye neentlanzi, kwaye icoceka xa ihamba. Kwimbali eninzi oku kwakunenzuzo: abantu babeka umonakalo kumamlambo kwaye ubuhle buyikhupha. Kwisicwangciso semihla ngemihla, kunye nangaphezulu kwezigidi ezisibhozo zabantu kunye noshishino lokulima kwihlabathi liphela, ukutyunjwa kwayeka ukusebenza ixesha elide elidlulileyo. Into esiyikhupha phantsi kwelanga ifika elwandle.

I-Mississippi River delta ihambisa isichumiso kwiGolf yaseMexico.
I-Mississippi River delta isusa isichumiso kwiGolf yaseMexico. Amanzi afanayo ahambisa i-fertilizer ukusuka kwizityalo ezijikeleze isithathu seMelika. Ityala: NASA

Uhlobo lwamanzi asetyenziswayo

Uthuli lufika ngeendlela ezimbini. Izibonelelo zendawo ziphuma kumbhobho: i-exit yezinto eziphilayo, umbhobho wefektri, umgodi. Zilula ukuzifumana kwaye, ngeepaspoti kunye nonyango, zilula ukuzilungisa. Iindawo ezisasaziweyo ziyavela kuwo onke amacala ngexesha elinye: i-fertilizer ne-mulch ehlamba imihlaba, i-oyile ne-tyre dust ehlamba iindlela, iziyobisi ezihamba ngaphaya kweentyatyambo. Zinzima kakhulu, kuba akukho mbhobho omnye onokuthi uvale.

Izinto ezibangela uthuli ziquka:

  • Izinto eziphilayo. I-nitrogen nephosphorus evela kwiintyatyambo, iinkukhu kunye nothuli. Ngamanzi zidla iintaka ezincinci ze-algae, ezikhula, zifa kwaye zilahle, zisebenzisa intlanzi efuna uoksijini.
  • Izinto ezibangela isifo. Iibhaktiriya, ii-viruses kunye neeparasites ezivela kwizinto ezingenakucocwa zezinto eziphilayo. Zibangela isifo se-cholera, isifo sokutya, isifo somhlaza wegazi kunye nesifo sokudumba.
  • Iikhemikhali. Iintsimbi ezinzima ezinjenge-mercury ne-lead, izithambisi zeshishini, izibulala-zifo, iimveliso zonyango kunye nezibizwa ngokuba ziikhemikhali ezihlala ixesha elide (PFAS), ezingenakususwa ngokupheleleyo.
  • Isichumiso kunye nobushushu. Umhlaba ovela ekuhlaselweni ngumlambo ubangela amafu kwaye utyhala iintaka ezincinci; amanzi ashushu ezindaweni zombane anciphisa ioksijini ngakumbi.
Amanzi aluhlaza okukhanyayo agcwele iintaka ezincinci ze-algae ecaleni kwendlela yokuhamba yamatye kwiLake Erie.
Izinto eziphilayo zibonakala: ukukhula kweentaka ezincinci ze-algae kutshintsha amanzi eLake Erie abe luhlaza kwiKelleys Island, Ohio. Iinkomo ezinjalo zikhula kwi-fertilizer kunye ne-wastewater ecocekileyo evela ezweni. Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, CC BY-SA 2.0

Uphi na oxhaphakileyo

Wonke umntu usela phantsi komlambo komnye. According to the World Health Organization, at least 1.7 billion people used a drinking-water source contaminated with faeces in 2022, and 2.2 billion still lacked safely managed drinking water. Ubunzima buvela kakhulu kubantwana: amanzi angakhuselekanga, ucoceko kunye nococeko luhlala luyisizathu esiphambili sokufa ngenxa yokudumba phakathi kwabancinci.

phantsi kwamanani anjalo kucoceko. Ngo-2022, iipesenti ezingama-57 zabantu basehlabathini basebenzisa i-toilet ekhuselekileyo. More than 1.5 billion had no basic sanitation at all, and 419 million still defecated in the open, in street gutters, behind bushes or straight into rivers and canals. ngo-2020, iipesenti ezingama-44 zamanzi angcolileyo ekhaya aqhutywa ngaphandle konyango olukhuselekileyo (i-I-WHO, 2024). Xa akukho manzi acocekileyo, umlambo uhlala omnye.

1.7 yezigidigidiabantu basebenzisa umjelo wamanzi okutshaya acocekileyoI-WHO)
42%of household wastewater flows were not safely treated in 2022 (I-UN-Water, 2024)
400+coastal dead zones recorded, covering about 245,000 km² (Diaz noRosenberg, 2008)

Iinkqubo zendalo zihlawula Xa imilambo eninzi yezinto eziphilayo idibana nelwandle, uxinzelelo lweoksijini lunokuhla kakhulu ukuze intlanzi kunye neenyama zeqhwa ziphuke. Iinkqubo iziqithi ezifileyo Ngoku inani liyizigidi; enye yeendlela ezikhulu ngasebusika kwiGolide yaseMexico, exhaswa yiMississippi. Kwihlabathi liphela, ilwandle oluvulekileyo lulahlekelwe yioksijini, kwaye iindawo eziphantsi kweoksijini ekumzantsi ziye zanyuka ukusukela phakathi konyaka weshumi elinanye (Breitburg et al., 2018).

Indawo efileyo yindawo yokubulala eneemawaka abantu abaxhaphakileyo kwaye akukho sixhobo sithile.

Iilwandle ezinomthamo omkhulu

Iintaka ezincinci zomlambo zibonisa ingxaki yonke ngaxeshanye: amanzi acocekileyo, izityalo ezilahlekileyo kunye neplastiki, zonke kumanzi afanayo, emizini ekhula ngokukhawuleza kunemibhobho yabo, iibhokisi zeplastiki kunye neefektri zonyango. Ukuzibiza akuthethi ukuba ugwetywe. Abantu abahlala ngaphaya kwalawo manzi baqala ukuxhatshazwa ngazo, kwaye abaninzi kubo basebenza kakhulu ukuze zibuyiselwe.

Ukusetyenziswa kweendawo zokuhlambela

I- PasigCity in Philippines ihamba ngeMetro Manila, ekhaya labantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezili-13. Ininzi yezinto ezilahlekileyo kunye ne-wastewater esuka kumzi zifika kufutshane neziqhamo ezincinci kunye nemijelo ejikelezwe ziikhaya ezingabakho kungenako unxibelelwano lwe-wastewater kwaye akukho qoqosho lokuqokelelwa kweempahla. Xa imvula yemonsun ifika, konke okusemva kwehlabathi kuhlanjwa phantsi komlambo kwiintsuku ezimbalwa. Imodeli efanayo iphindaphindwa ngaphaya kwe I-Klang kwi-Kuala Lumpur, Amehlo kunye Isiroma eMpuma Koloni, i-Mumbai, kunye namawaka omlambo omncinci womzi kwitropiki.

Iimvula ezimnyama zesiphepho phezu komlambo iPasig eManila, ngeebhayisikile ze-water hyacinth emanzini aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kunye neetowe ezijikelezayo ngaphaya kwebanki.
Isiphepho esibandayo sijika ngaphezulu komlambo iPasig eManila. Imvula enamandla ihlamba nantoni na ekhoyo phantsi kwehlabathi kwiingcango zesiqulatho kunye nomlambo ngaphakathi kweeyure. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

Iifektri: ii-tanning kunye nee-dyes

In Dhaka, the tanneries of Hazaribagh released an estimated 21,600 cubic metres of untreated effluent every day, laden with chromium, sulphur and ammonium, into channels that drain to the Buriganga (Human Rights Watch, 2012). Abasebenzi, abaninzi babo bantwana, nabahlobo bathatha iimpazamo zonyango kuqala; isikhumba safika kwisihlangu kunye neebhokisi zathengwa kwihlabathi liphela.

Iikhephe zomkhenkce zokuhamba ngenqwelo-moya zithe tyaba kwisikhululo somlambo iSadarghat eBuriganga eDhaka, nezityalo ezibiweyo ngaphaya komngcipheko.
ISadarghat kwisikhululo somlambo iBuriganga, esisebenza kakhulu eDhaka. Umlambo uyindlela yokuhamba ngesantya esiphezulu kubaninzi bezigidi zabantu, kwaye yindawo yokuhlambela eninzi yomzi. Photo: Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0

kwiJava, Citrus iNtaba yeNtaba-mlilo yaseJava yindawo ephambili yokufumana amanzi okusela nokusetyenziswa kwamanzi olwandle eMpuma A 2025 study reports that the river received about 35.5 tonnes of human waste every day in 2017, and that about 90 percent of the 3,236 textile factories along it lacked adequate wastewater treatment, so dyes and chemicals went straight into the water (Marselina et al., 2025). Ngo-2018 iIndonesia yaqalisa Citarum Harum, inkqubo yomhlaba yokubuyisela umlambo odibanisa ulawulo lwamazwe ngamazwe nolwasekhaya, amaqela akhuselekileyo, iinkampani kunye neentsapho.

I- I-Ganges ingcwele kumawaka amawaka abantu abazigidi kwaye ibonelela ngamanzi kwinxalenye enkulu ye-India neBangladesh. Kwindlela yayo, iifektri ezinjengezibhedlele kunye neendawo zokupheka iwayini zidibanisa izityalo zabo kwizinto ezilahlekileyo zemimandla ekhula ngokukhawuleza. Inkqubo yase-India ye Namami Gange, eyaqala ngo-2014, iqhuba ukwakha nokulandelela izityalo zokunyanga amanzi angcolileyo emntla nakwiindawo eziphuma kumlambo (National Mission for Clean Ganga).

Iibhotile zeplastikhi, iibhegi kunye neengxowa ezityhala umlambo omfutshane ecaleni kwegadi eBali.
Izinto ezilahlekileyo zeplastikhi kumlambo omncinci ohamba ezantsi ukuya kwiLovina Beach eBali, Indonesia. Amajelo amancinci njengale ahambisa uninzi lweplastiki esiya kulwandle. Photo: DayakSibiriak, CC BY-SA 4.0

Iplastiki

Iplastiki yiyona ibonakalayo kwezi zibulalayo, kwaye enye esinokuthi ngoku siyiqikelele ngomlambo ngamnye. Izifundo ezimbini ezinkulu zasebenzisa iimodeli zekhompyutha, ezivavanywa ngokuchasene novavanyo lwendawo, ukuqikelela ukuba iplastiki eninzi yomlambo ngamnye ihambisa lwandle:

  • Lebreton et al. (2017) iqikelelwa ukuba 1.15 ukuya kwi-2.41 yezigidi zeetoni ngonyaka ukusuka kuwo onke amalwandle, kunye namalwandle aphezulu angama-20 ahambisa amaqela amabini eentyatyambo, aqhutywa yiYangtze, iGanges neXi.
  • Schmidt et al. (2017) waqhubeka, ecebisa ukuba kuphela iimlambo ezili-10 zithwala iipesenti ezingama-88 ukuya kwezingama-95 zobunzima behlabathi. Le “imilambo elishumi” igunyaza yasasazeka ngokubanzi, kodwa ababhali bawazisela ukuba akukho qiniseko oluphezulu, kwaye umsebenzi omtsha awuxhasi.
  • Meijer et al. (2021) ilandelela inkunkuma ukusuka apho iqhutywa khona ukuya kumlambo ofutshane kwaye uqhubekeke kulwandle, ngokulinganisa ukugwa kwemvula, ukusebenzisa umhlaba kunye nomgama. Bafumanisa ukuba amawaka angaphezu kwama-1,000 amalwandle ahambisa iipesenti ezingama-80 zomlambo weplastiki ukuya kulwandle, 0.8 ukuya kuma-2.7 eetoni ngonyaka ngokwahlukeneyo, kwaye amalwandle amancinci ahamba phantsi kwemijikelo emikhulu ephakathi kweyona nto inzima.

I-Ranking

Ezi ziindawo ezilishumi zomlambo ezinomgangatho ophezulu wokuqikelelwa kweplastikhi ephumayo kwimodeli entsha. Amaxabiso abonisa indawo ephakathi yemeko malunga nonyaka ka-2015, ijikelezwe kwikhulu elifutshane leetoni.

Le miboniso ichaza into eyadlulayo. Iimodeli zombini zisebenzisa idatha malunga nonyaka ka-2015, phambi kokuba iinkqubo ezininzi zokucoca kutshanje zisebenze, kwaye akukho nto iphinde yaqhutywa kwimilambo yemihla ngemihla. Iinkcukacha zeYangtze, iXi neHuangpu, umzekelo, zichaza imilambo yase China iminyaka elishumi eyadlulayo xa ukucocwa kwayo kwamazwe ngamazwe kwakuqala nje, kwaye iPasig ibonisa ukuba inkqubo entsha yeManila yayingaphambili. Okulandelayo, umlambo ngamnye ngomlambo, kuthethwa kuma imlambo abuyela ngasemva ehlabathini ezantsi.

Igama le projektiUmlamboI-ItalyIplastiki eqikelelwa ukuba isiya lwandle (iitoni ngonyaka)Icebo
1PasigCity in PhilippinesI-Philippines62,600Meijer et al. 2021
2TullahanCity in Alaska USAI-Philippines13,500Meijer et al. 2021
3AmehloIndiaName13,400Meijer et al. 2021
4I-KlangMalaysiaName12,800Meijer et al. 2021
5ManilaCity in PhilippinesI-Philippines12,400Meijer et al. 2021
6Pampangaphilippines. kgmI-Philippines9,300Meijer et al. 2021
7I-LibmananI-Philippines7,100Meijer et al. 2021
8I-GangesI-India ne-Bangladesh6,200Meijer et al. 2021
9Rio Grande de JaneiroCity in BrazilI-Philippines5,300Meijer et al. 2021
10AgnoCity in ItalyI-Philippines4,600Meijer et al. 2021

Imodeli edala ibeka imilambo emikhulu endaweni yoko, enenani ngalinye:

Igama le projektiUmlamboI-ItalyInqanaba eliphakathi (iitonne ngonyaka)Igama le projektiIcebo
1I-Yangtze RiverChinaName333,000310,000 ukuya kwi-480,000Lebreton et al. 2017
2I-GangesI-India ne-Bangladesh115,000105,000 ukuya kwi-172,000Lebreton et al. 2017
3XiChinaName73,90064,600 ukuya kwi-114,000Lebreton et al. 2017
4HuangpuCity in ChinaChinaName40,80033,500 ukuya ku-67,300Lebreton et al. 2017
5I-CrossI-Nigeria ne-Cameroon40,30033,800 ukuya kwi-65,000Lebreton et al. 2017
6I-SteepIndonesiaName38,90032,300 ukuya ku-63,700Lebreton et al. 2017
7Ama-AmazonI-Brazil, iPeru, iColombia ne-Ecuador38,90032,200 ukuya ku-63,800Lebreton et al. 2017
8PasigCity in PhilippinesI-Philippines38,80032,100 ukuya ku-63,700Lebreton et al. 2017
9I-IrrawaddyMyanmarName35,30029,700 ukuya kwi-56,900Lebreton et al. 2017
10I-SolIndonesiaName32,50026,500 ukuya kwi-54,100Lebreton et al. 2017

Ngaba ziqiniseke kangakanani na ezi nombolo? Akukho nto ibalulekileyo, kwaye kubaluleke kakhulu ukutsho oku. Zonke ziimodeli: akukho mntu uthelekile iplastikhi eshiya amawaka emathunjini omlambo. I-Meijer’s yehlabathi yonke iphela ijikeleza kwizinto ezingaphezu kwezithathu, kwaye ababhali bachaza indlela yabo echanekileyo ngaphakathi kwezinto ezilishumi xa kuthelekiswa nezixhobo zendawo; iPasig ihlala kumda webhanti. Iimodeli ezimbini zithe zahlukana malunga nemilambo ekhethekileyo. IGanges iwela ukusuka kwi115,000 yetoni ngonyaka kwimodeli edala ukuya malunga ne6,200 kumlomo wayo omkhulu kwimodeli entsha, kuba imodeli entsha inika iplastiki ehla phantsi kude ngaphakathi kwelizwe ithuba elincinci kakhulu lokufikelela kulwandle: uninzi lwazo luthathwa kumazantsi omlambo, ngasemva kwamadam kunye ne-sediment ehamba ngendlela. Ezinye iintaba ezibizwa ngegama kwingxoxo yomphakathi, ezinjengeChao Phraya eBangkoku, iKelani eKolombo neMithi eMumbai, zibonakala phakathi kwezikhulu ezili-50 ezikhupha uthuli kuluhlu olupapashwe yimodeli entsha. Oku kuthethwa ngaphaya kweenkcukacha ezichaziweyo yimilinganiselo: iplastiki emininzi yomlambo ivela kwiindawo apho uthuli alugcinwanga, apho abantu behlala khona phantsi komlambo, kwaye apho umhlwa onzima uhlamba umhlaba.

Amalwandle abuyela umva emhlabeni

Imilambo kwitheyibhile ephezulu ayisiyonto ilahlekile. Amalwandle abhalwe phantsi abuyiselwe kwihlabathi liphela, kumalizwe anamandla kunye nalapho kunzima khona, phantsi kwee-arhente zolawulo ezihlukileyo. Akukho mnye wabo wacocwa ngumntu omnye okanye umthetho omnye. Imeko nganye elandelayo iphendula imibuzo emibini efanayo: yintoni eya kwenzeka kakubi, yintoni eyenziwayo, into ethe yalinganiselwa, nento engasolwanga. Zidweliswe ngokuthe nkqo ngokulandelana apho ukucocwa kwabo kuqala khona.

IThames, eLondon

Ukujonga ezantsi kweshafti ejikelezayo enzulu yekhonkrithi yeThames Tideway Tunnel, enesivalo sethamesi esifutshane phantsi.
Ukujonga ezantsi kwesinye sezibane zeThames Tideway Tunnel, iLondon's new sewer under the river. Photo: Matt Brown, CC BY 2.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Iindlela zokuhambisa amanzi kunye nokusebenza konyango eLondon azange ziqhubeke nokunyuka komzi. Ngowama-1950s ioksijini encinci yashiya kwiindawo zeThames ezijikelezayo ukuba ngowama-1957 zafunyanwa zifile ngokuphilayo. Iindlela zesithuthi zaseVictorian zithwala amanzi emvula, kwaye xa imvula inamandla zihlala zidlula emlambo.

Into eyenziwayo. Ukucoca umsebenzi wokuhambisa amanzi emlambo waqala ngo-1960 (BBC, 2001). Ngo-2014 iThames Water yagqiba ukunyusa imisebenzi emihlanu yonyango, eBeckton, Crossness, Riverside, Long Reach neMogden. In 2016 the 7 km Lee Tunnel began capturing more than 5 million tonnes of sewage a year that used to spill from the largest overflow. I-25 km yeThames Tideway Tunnel, iprojekthi eyi-£4.6 billion ehlawulwe ngeebhayisikile zabaxhasi beThames Water, ngoku idibanisa nayo, ukuze le nkqubo ingagcina i-1.6 million cubic metres yezinto eziphilayo zemvula; idityaniswe ngokupheleleyo kwaye isebenza ukusukela ngoFebruwari 2025, kwaye kulindeleke ukuba ikhuphe ukutyibilika kumlambo we-tidal ukusuka kumawaka amahlanu ngonyaka oqhelekileyo ukuya kumawaka amane (I-Thames Water; I-Tideway).

Into ethethwayo. I-salmon yokuqala yabuyela ngo-1974, kwaye ngo-2001 umlambo waxhasa iintlobo ezili-115 zeentlanzi (BBC, 2001). The Zoological Society of London’s 2026 health check found dissolved oxygen rising over the long term from 2007 to 2024 and phosphorus falling since the 1990s; seahorses, eels, seals and even small sharks now live in the estuary (ZSL, 2026).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Uvavanyo olufanayo lwezempilo lwafumanisa ukuba i-nitrate iyaqhubeka inyuka kwizinto eziphilayo ezicocekileyo, kunye nokuphazamiseka okuncinci kwezityalo zeentlanzi ukusukela ekuqaleni kweeminyaka ye-1990 ekufuneka kuphunyezwe ucwaningo oluninzi. Ukuhamba phezulu kwendlela, ukuphuma kwamanzi kunye nokusebenza konyango kweThames Waters kutyhila amanzi acocekileyo kwiintsuku ezili-298,081 ngo-2024, ngaphezulu kweeyure ezingama-196,414 ngo-2023, ngokutshoI-The Guardian, ngo-2025). Across England, spills fell by 35 percent in 2025, which the Environment Agency says was largely due to a dry year (Environment Agency, 2026).

ICuyahoga, iCleveland, kunye ne-US Clean Water Act

Ibrothi yentsimbi yokunyusa imilenze ebonisa umbala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka wokuphuma kwelanga phezu komlambo weCuyahoga eCleveland.
Ukuphuma kwelanga ngaphezulu komlambo weCuyahoga eCleveland, umlambo apho umlilo ka1969 wanceda ukuvelisa umthetho wamalwandle acocekileyo aseMelika. Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0

Into eya kwenzeka kakubi. Ngomhla we-22 kuJuni 1969 isigqubuthelo esisuka kwinqwelomoya edlulayo samisa umlilo kwioyile emanzile kwiCuyahoga. Akukho xesha lokuqala: icandelo lemibhobho yendalo libala imikhosi engama-13 kumlambo phambi konyaka ka-1969 (NEORSD). Kwiminyaka ye-1970, ngaphezulu kweegaliloni ezili-9 zezinto eziphilayo kunye namaxesha omvula adityaniswayo ngonyaka adlula emanzini okungena emlanjeni nakwiLake Erie (NEORSD).

Into eyenziwayo. Abavoti baseCleveland babesele begunyazise i-100 yezigidi zeedola zokucoca imilambo yomzi, kwaye umphathiswa wathatha abashicileli kumlambo waza waveza kwiCongress (NPR, 2019). Ngo-1972 iKongre yadlula Umthetho wamaSizwe ococekileyo wamanzi, owenza ukuba kubengagunyaziswanga ukukhulula uthuli oluvela kumbhobho kumalwandle aseMelika ngaphandle kwelayisensi kwaye ubhalise izityalo ezintsha zokunyanga amanzi angcolileyo (US EPA). Ngo-1987 umlambo wabizwa ngokuba yiNtaba eziLila Ezikhulu zeSixeko esiXhalabileyo ezinengxaki ezisithoba ezisemthethweni zokuzilungisa. Since 2011 the sewer district’s Project Clean Lake, a 3 billion dollar, 25-year programme agreed with regulators, has been building tunnels and storage to cut overflows from about 4.5 billion gallons a year to 494 million by 2036 (NEORSD).

Into ethethwa ngayo. Ukugqitha kwamanzi sele kuphelelwe lixesha ngo-2000. By December 2025, 76 of Project Clean Lake’s 78 projects were finished or under way, removing 2 billion gallons of overflow a year. Intlanzi yabuyela: ngaphezulu kweempawu ezili-60 zafunyanwa kumlambo ngo-2014 (NEORSD). I-EPA isuse ingxaki ezisixhenxe zezo zisemthethweni: ukubonakala okungalunganga (2017), umda wokutya intlanzi (2019), amaqabunga (2021), iintlungu zentlanzi (2023) kunye nokuvala iindawo zokuqubha (2024) (US EPA).

Akukho nto ilungisiwe ngoku. Iingxaki ezine zihlala: intlanzi kunye nosapho lwezinto eziphilayo, ubomi kumlambo, ukutywina umjelo wokuqhuba kunye nokulahleka kwendawo yokuhlala yentlanzi. Ngasemva kweGorge Dam, eyenziwe ngo-1911, malunga ne-865,000 yeyadi zesikwere sezinto eziphilayo ezichaphazelekayo zicocwa ukusukela ngo-2025 phambi kokuba idam isuse (US EPA).

I-Yarra, Melbourne

Iqela lokuloba kumlambo ozolileyo weYarra, nendawo yokuloba ekhohlo kunye neetafile zeMelbourne emngciphekweni.
Abalobi kwiYarra eMelbourne. Umgangatho ophezulu womlambo ubonelela ngamanzi okusela edolophini. Photo: Donaldytong, CC BY-SA 3.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Phambi kokuba amanzi angcolileyo aseMelbourne aqhutywe ngemibhobho ukuya kwifama yonyango eWerribee ukusukela ngo1897, iYarra yachazwa njengenye yemilambo emibi kakhulu emhlabeni (Amalwandle aseMelbourne). Xa umzi ukhula, izityalo, iindlela kunye nemibhobho yamanzi emvula yaqhubeka idibanisa ukusilela.

Into eyenziwayo. Ukuhambisa amanzi angcolileyo kwaqala kuqala, umlambo uphuculwe kakhulu ukusukela kwiminyaka ye-1970 neye-1980 (umthombo ofanayo). Ngo-2017 iVictoria yadlula umthetho woKhuselo lomlambo weYarra (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron), umthetho othi umlambo uthathwe njengento ephilayo nedityanisiweyo, wamisela iBhunga leBirrarung ukucebisa ngalo (umthetho waseVictorian).

Into ethethwa ngayo. IYarra ephezulu ibonelela ngeepesenti ezingama-70 zamanzi okutya aseMelbourne (AmaNamanzi aseMelbourne). ukusukela ngoDisemba 2013, i-State Environment Agency ivavanye iintsholongwane kwiindawo ezine ezithandwayo kwaye ipapasha izilumkiso zokudada kuzo (i-EPA Victoria).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Umgangatho wamanzi uqhubeka unyuka ngenxa yoshishino lokulima, ukuphuhliswa komzi-mveliso kunye namaza emvula (Amaza eMelbourne). Ezimbini zezona ndawo zilindelekileyo, iKew nendawo yokuqalisa, zisoloko zilindeleke ukuba zibe zimbi kakhulu ukuloba (EPA Victoria).

I-Minamata Bay, eJapan

Idolophu yaseMinamata ibonakala ukusuka kumthi ophezulu, kunye namalwandle apholileyo eMinamata Bay neziqithi ezingaphezulu.
IMinamata nebhiyi yayo ngo-2020, ibonakala ukusuka kumthi weNakaoyama. Photo: Sanjo, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Kwiminyaka emininzi ifektri yekhemikhali elawulwa yinkampani yeChisso yakhupha i-methylmercury, into eyenziweyo xa kwenziwa i-acetaldehyde, kwiMinamata Bay. Intlanzi neentlanzi ezincinci zazithatha, namadoda nabantwana abadla ngazo. Ukubulala kwaziwa ngokusemthethweni njengesifo ngo-1956. Ifektri yamisa inkqubo ngoMeyi 1968, kwaye uMongameli waqinisekisile ukuba yisizathu sokuba ngoSepthemba (INkundla yezoLimo yaseJapan).

Into eyenziwayo. Ngo1974 amacebo aqhutywa phezu kwebhayi ukuze agcine intlanzi echaphazelekayo isuka ishiye. Kusuka ngo-1977 ukuya ku-1990, malunga nezigidi ezili-1.5 zemitha yesiqithi esiqulethe ngaphezulu kweenxalenye ezingama-25 kwizigidi ze-mercury zaqhutywa zitshixiwe kwihektare ezili-58 zomhlaba obuyiselweyo. Umsebenzi wawubiza malunga nezigidi ezili-48 zeyen, apho iChisso yahlawula malunga neezigidi ezingama-30 kunye namazwe amaninzi kunye namaphondo alawulayo ahlawule malunga nezigidi ezili-9 nganye (umthombo ofanayo).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Amanqanaba e-mercury kwiindidi ezisixhenxe zeentlanzi ahlala ngaphantsi komda omiselweyo iminyaka emithathu ngokulandelelana, ngo1997 umphathiswa wabhengeza ukuba ilwandle lukhuselekile kwaye amacebo athathelwa (umthombo owodwa).

Akukho nto ilungisiwe ngoku. I-bay yabuyiselwa kwiminyaka emininzi; abantu abazange baphinde babuye. NgoDisemba 2024, abantu aba-3,000 babeqinisekisiwe ngokusemthethweni ukuba banesifo seMinamata, kuquka abo bavela kwimeko yesibini yokuhlaselwa eNiigata, kwaye abantu abangama-304 baboIYunivesithi yaseNtshona Koloni yeSifo seMinamata). Abantu abangama-11,000 abangaphezulu bafumana uncedo phantsi komthetho wokulungisa ingxaki yamazwe ngamazwe ofikelelwe ngawo ngo-1995, abantu abangaphezu kwama-48,000 basebenzisa umthetho wokulungisa ingxaki wadlula ngo-2009 (INkundla yoKhuselo lweNdawo yaseJapan), kwaye izikhokelo ziqhubeka nokuthatha isigqibo malunga nesicelo: ngo-2023 iKhomishini yeOsaka yavuma bonke abamangali abayi-128 kwimeko enye, ngelixa ngo-2024 iKhomishini yeKumamoto yayeka aba-144 ngenxa yokuba umda wexesha wawudlulile (Asahi Shimbun, 2024).

Umlambo waseSingapore

Iindlu ezimnyama zevenkile ezibomvu zeSikhephe seNqanawa esihamba ngomlambo iSingapore, ezinezithuthi zeofisi ngasemva.
Isikhephe seNqanawa esinamanzi eSingapore, apho amawaka eemoto zothutho lwaluthe lwalutyhila amanzi. Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Ngowama-1970 umlambo waseSingapore neKallang Basin babezele ziibhotile ezilahlekileyo, amanzi acocekileyo kunye nezikhephe ezishiyelwe. Iinkunkuma ezivela kwiintlobo zenyama kunye neentlanzi, intengiso yasemva kwendlu, abarhwebi bendlela kunye neendawo zokuhlala ezingangeni manzi zadlula ngqo emanzini.

Into eyenziwayo. Ngomhla we-27 kuFebruwari 1977 uMphathiswa wokuqala uLee Kuan Yew wabeka injongo yeminyaka elishumi yokucoca umlambo. Kwindawo yokungena komlambo kunye neKallang Basin ekwindawo engqongileyo, amawaka eefama ezihlala phantsi zafuduka kwakhona, kwaye iifama zezinkomo ezingama-610, malunga neefama zeduck ezingama-500, ngaphezulu kweempahla ezili-2800 zesitrato sasemva kunye nabathengisi abamalunga nama-5000 bendlela batshintshelwa. Ii-800 zezithuthi ezikhanyayo ezixhobisa umlambo zashenxiswa kwiPasir Panjang ngo1983. IBhodi yeLayibrari yaseNtshona ibeka ixabiso elimalunga ne-300 yezigidi zeedola zaseSingapore, ngaphandle kokubala ukubuyiswa kwemali yokufuduka (IBhodi yeLayibrari yaseNtshona).

Into ethethwa ngayo. Xa inkqubo yaphela ngo-1987, intlanzi kunye neengxowa zaqala ukuzala kwakhona emlanjeni (National Library Board). The Marina Barrage, finished in 2008, turned the river mouth into a freshwater reservoir in 2010, with a catchment of 10,000 hectares (PUB).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Asikwazi ukufumana ushicilelo olude lwexesha lomgangatho wamanzi omlambo. Uvavanyo lwango-2015 luphawula ukuba isiqulathi esitsha, esiye sabizwa ngokuba yi-estuary, sihlala sigulaI-Galelli et al., 2015).

I-Mersey, uMzantsimpuma weNgilani

ILiverpool ejonge phezulu kwelwandle kunye neRoyal Liver Building, ibonakala ukusuka kwiphenyane elunxwemeni lweMersey.
ILiverpool ejonge phezulu kwelwandle ibonakala ukusuka kwiphenyane elunxwemeni lweMersey. Photo: Richard Hoare, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ithini into engekho kakuhle. Iminyaka emibini yeshishini kunye ne-wastewater yamawaka abantu yenza iMersey ibe yenye yemilambo eninzi echaphazelekayo kwiYuropu, kwaye ngowe1985 yabizwa ngokuba yindawo yokungena komlambo echaphazelekayo kakhulu kwiUnited Kingdom (Inkqubo yeMersey Basin Campaign). Kwiminyaka ye-1970, imimandla emide yomlambo ophezulu ayikho ioksijini kuyo yonke imeko yolwandle (Jones, 2006).

Into eyenziwayo. Inkqubo yeMersey Basin Campaign yasebenza iminyaka engama-25, ukusukela ngo-1985 ukuya ku-2010, idibanisa ulawulo, inkampani yamanzi, imveliso kunye neqela lehlabathi (inkqubo yeMersey Basin Campaign). Imisebenzi entsha nephuculweyo yonyango kunye nolawulo lokutywina kweshishini lalandela: ngo-2006 ngaphezulu kwe-£1 yezigidigidi yasetyenziswa (Jones, 2006).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Ubunzima bemihla ngemihla bothuli oluphilayo (BOD) olungena emlanjeni lwahla ukusuka kuma-300 eetoni ngo1972 ukuya kuma-50 eetoni ngo-2000 (Jones, 2000). Ioksijini ephantsi kakhulu erekhodiweyo kumlambo ophezulu wanyuka waba yi-48% yokukhutshwa ngo-2001, i-58% ngo-2002 ne-65% ngo-2003. NgoNovemba 2001, i-salmon yaqabulwa emlanjeni kuqala kwiminyaka emibini edlulileyo, kwaye ama-26 aqashwe eWoolston Weir ngowama-2002 (i-Jones, 2006).

Akukho ngxaki sele. Kwinyanga yobusika, uxinzelelo lwegazi kwindlela yeManchester Ship Canal apho i-salmon kufuneka idlule khona yayihlala iphantsi kakhulu, malunga neepesenti ezingama-20, ethintela intlanzi kwindlela yayo yokunyuka komlambo (umthombo ofanayo). Abaphandi abafunda ukubuyisela umlambo ophuma emlanjeni babonisa ukuba kukho uxinzelelo oluqhubekayo malunga nokugqitha kwezityalo ezidalaHawkins et al., 2020).

I-Boston Harbor

Ii-digestors ezinombala weqanda kunye nee-turbines zomoya zesixeko sonyango sesiqithi saseDeer, zibonakala ngaphaya kwamanzi aluhlaza eBoston Harbor.
Isixeko sonyango sesiqithi saseDeer eBoston Harbor, ne-egg-shaped sludge digesters yayo. Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Kude kube ngu1990, amanzi acocekileyo aseBoston aye kwisikhululo senqwelomoya ngenkqubo yonyango olusisiseko kuphela, kwaye i-sludge yamanzi acocekileyo yayithunyelwe kuyo yonke imihla. ngo-1987, amawaka ali-84 adibanisayo emvula yezinto eziphilayo zaphuma iinkunkuma engaphaya kwendlela kunye namaza olwandle kwisikhululo seenqwelomoyaMWRA).

Into eyenziwayo. Ngo-1985 ikhomishini yelizwe liphela yacela umphathiswa wamanzi omtsha wephondo ukuba avule unyango olufanelekileyo lweendawo ezilahlekileyo. Ukuthutha i-sludge kwisikhululo sikaloliwe kwamiswa ngo-1991, indawo entsha yokunyanga eDhir Island yavula ngeenkqubo ukusukela ngo-1995, kwaye ngo-2000 umjelo ohamba ngamakhilomitha angama-9.5 washenxisa amanzi acocekileyo aphumayo phezulu emanzini anzulu eMassachusetts Bay (MWRA). Iprojekthi yeBoston Harbor ixabiso malunga ne-3.8 billion dollars (MWRA). Inkqubo eyahlukileyo emalunga ne-906 yezigidi zeedola ivale ii-34 zeentsalela ezili-84 kwaye yakhiwa ukucinywa kwevolumu ethe tyaba kunyaka oqhelekileyo ngeepesenti ezingama-88 (MWRA).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Igunya lezinto eziphilayo lijonga ngaphezulu kweendawo ezingama-70 kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya kunye nemilambo yayo kwaye lipapasha idatha, kwaye ilizwe livavanya izilwandle ngasebusika (MWRA). Inqanaba leCharles River likhuphe ukusuka kwiD ukuya kwiB okanye ngcono ukusukela ngo-2004 (MWRA), kwaye ngo-2025 zonke iziqithi zesixeko eNahant ukuya eNantasket ziphumelele ngaphezulu kweepesenti ezingama-80 zokuloba ngokukhuselekileyo,Ukhuselo lweSiqithi/Ukhuselo lweNtaba, 2025).

Akukho nto ilungisiwe. Kwiminyaka eqhelekileyo umlambo uCharles uhlangabezana nenqanaba lebhaktheriya yokuloba ngeepesenti ezingama-48 kuphela zexesha, kwaye ezinye iziqwenga ezigqithisileyo zihlala zingafiki kwinjongo zabo (MWRA, 2023). I-draft ehlaziyiweyo yenkqubo yokugqitha ivuliwe ukuba abantu babhale phantsi de kube ngumhla wama-30 kuOktobha 2026 (ISixeko saseSomerville).

I-Rhine

Abasetyhini beshushungela kwiRhine eluhlaza-eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ebanzi eBasel ngemini yonyaka, neendlu ezindala ezihamba ngaphaya kwebanki.
Abasetyhini beshushungela kwiRhine eBasel ngoJulayi 2023, indlela emfutshane esuka apho umlilo weSandoz ka1986 wahlamba khona iziyobisi kumlambo. Photo: WikiEuropian, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eya kwenzeka kakubi. Kwiminyaka emininzi iRhine yathwala umonakalo wesinye sezona ndawo ziphambili zeshishini kwihlabathi. On 1 November 1986 a fire at a Sandoz warehouse near Basel washed up to 30 tonnes of pesticides into the river and killed fish along hundreds of kilometres.

Into eyenziwayo. Ilizwe elinokufutshane nomlambo laphendula ngenkqubo yokusebenza yomlambo iRhine ngo-1987: ukunyusa ngamaphesenti amabini ukuphuma kwezinto ezibulalayo ezingama-40 kwiminyaka elishumi, kwaye yenze umlambo ucocekile ngokwaneleyo ukuba isidlo sangokuhlwa sibuye (IKomishoni yeHlabathi yokuGcina iRhine). Iinkqubo zokunyanga zakhiwa kwaye zaphuculwa, kwaye izibuko leentlanzi lavuliwe ngaphaya kweemayile ezinkulu, eIffezheim ngo-2000 neGambasheim ngo-2006 (ICPR).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Iintsimbi ezinzima kumlambo zahla ngokuphawulekayo phakathi konyaka we-1987 nowe-2000 (ICPR). I-nitrogen esuka kwiRhine iye kulwandle yahla ukusuka kumathambeka angama-443,000 eetoni ngowe-1985 ukuya kumathambeka angama-272,000 eetoni ngowe-2016 (ICPR). I-Salmon yaqala ukudada ukusuka eMntla lwandle ukuya kumlambo iSieg ngo-1990 kwaye yakhula khona ngokuqhelekileyo ukusukela ngo-1994; ngo-2000, iintlanzi ezili-63 zabuyela, kwaye intlanzi yaseRhine, ngaphandle kwee-eels, zazikhuselekile ukutya kwakhona (ICPR, Salmon 2020). IKomiti ngoku idwelisa iintlobo ezili-71, ngazo zonke iintlanzi eziziwayo kumlambo odlulileyo ngaphandle kwee-European sturgeon (ICPR).

Akukho nto ilungisiwe ngoku. I-salmon iyaqhubeka ibe ncinci: intlanzi edlula kwiKoblenz yabala abantu abadala abasukayo abangama-11 ngo-2025 (ICPR counts). Iinxalenye ezimbini ezithathu ze-nitrogen ngoku zivela kushishino lokulima kunye nezinye iindawo ezisasazwayo, iimigodi ezimbi zezinto ezisasazwayo ziphezulu kakhulu kwaye izityalo zokunyanga azisusenga iziqhamo ezininzi zeemithi nakwezinye izinto ezibangela uthuli oluncinci; iilizwe zijonge ukusikhupha esi siqingatha se-30% ngo-2040 (ICPR).

IDanube neMlambo oMnyama

Ipelican yeDalmatian enemilebe ethe tyaba ibaleka phantsi kwelanga elimnyama ngaphezulu kweDanube Delta.
Ipelican yeDalmatian ngaphezulu kweDanube Delta, apho umlambo udibana khona noMlambo oMnyama. Umfanekiso: uCharles J. Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. I-fertilizer, i-mulch kunye ne-wastewater ukusuka kwinye yezona ndawo zikhulu zomlambo zaseYuropu zakhupha izinto eziphilayo kwisiqithi saseMnyama esisempumalanga. From the early 1970s, water near the sea bed ran out of oxygen every year, and in 1983 the low-oxygen area covered about 20,000 square kilometres (Capet et al., 2013).

Intoni eyakwenziwa. Ngo-1994 ilizwe lebhanti latyikitya iConvenio de Protección del Río Danubio eSofia, kwaye ukusukela ngo-1998 zisebenzela kunye ngeKomishoni yeHlabathi yoKhuselo lomlambo weDanubio, ngokulandelelana okudityanisiweyo kunye nenkqubo yebhanti (ICPDR).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. IKomiti ixela ukuba ukukhishwa kwe-nitrogen kwibhanti kuhla ngamaphesenti angama-30 kunye nephosphorus ngamaphesenti angama-50 ngaphezulu kweminyaka engama-15 (ICPDR). Indawo ephantsi kweoksijini yeMlambo oMnyama yancipha, nangona uvavanyo oluthe kratya lwafumanisa ukuba ukubuyisela emva kweeminyaka yama-1990 kwakuncinci kunento eyayicinga kuqala, kwaye kwafika ngokukodwa kwiminyaka engama-2000 (Capet et al., 2013).

Akukho nto ilungisiwe. Kwinkqubo ye-2021, yipesenti ezingama-24 kuphela zobude bomlambo ezinesimo esilungileyo sokhuseleko lwendalo kunye neepesenti ezingama-36 zesimo esilungileyo sekhemikhali, amabala angama-624 agcina ukuphuma kweentlanzi, isiqulatho saseYuropu saphela kwi-basin, kwaye umthwalo wezinto eziphilayo wawuphezulu kunaleyo yama-1960 (ICPDR, 2021).

I-Pasig, Manila

Indlela ehamba ngaselwandle enezibane ezityebileyo ecaleni komlambo iPasig eManila, enee-hyacinths zamanzi emanzini kunye nebrokhi engaphezulu.
Indlela entsha yokuhamba ngaselwandle eIntramuros kwiPasig, ngoJuni 2025. Photo: Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. IPasig ihambisa uthuli lwendawo enkulu eneezigidi ezingaphezu kwe-13 zabantu, kwaye yabhengeza ukuba ifile ngokwezifo kwiminyaka ye-1990 (GMA News, 2018). Iphezulu kuluhlu lwemodeli entsha yomlambo othwala iplastiki elwandle, nangona ababhali bayo baphawula ukuba le modeli ilinganisela kakhulu iPasig xa kuthelekiswa novavanyo oluwenziwe ngo-2019 (I-Meijer et al., 2021).

Into eyenziwayo. Ngowama-1999 ukuya ku-2019 iKomiti yoLuhlu lweMlambo iPasig yasusa izityalo kunye neendawo eziphantsi kweelwandle. Ngo-2018, xa iphumelele iPrize yokuqala yeNtaba yaseAsia, iintsapho ezili-18,719 ezihlala emanzini ziye zafuduka kwakhona kwaye 17 zeentlambo ezili-47 ezisuka kumlambo zaziphuhlisiwe, zaqala ngenkqubo eqhubayo kwi Estero de Paco ngo-2010 (IiNgxelo zeGMA). IKomishoni yasuswa ngo-2019 (Philstar, 2019). NgoJanuwari 2024, inkqubo entsha, iPasig Bigyang Buhay Muli, yaqala ukwakha indawo yokuphumla ecaleni komlambo, apho umjikelo wesine wavula ngoOktobha 2025 (ABS-CBN, 2025).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Ingxelo yeKomishoni ibonisa ukuba uthuli lwezinto eziphilayo (BOD) kumlambo lwaluphakathi kwe-30.79 mg/l ukusukela ngo-2009 ukuya ku-2014, xa kuthelekiswa nenqanaba le-7, kwaye lwanyuka ukusuka kwi-23.09 ngo-2012 ukuya kwi-39.03 ngo-2014; uxinzelelo lweoksijini lwaluphakathi kwe-2.85 mg/l kuphela (PRRC, 2014). Uvavanyo lwelizwe ngo-2018 lwafumanisa ukuba iipesenti ezingama-96 zemali yokucoca imijelo yamanzi zasetyenziswa, phakathi kweepesenti ezili-1 ne-28 zomsebenzi ocwangcisiweyoI-Rappler, ngo-2018).

Akukho ngxaki sele ilungisiwe. Asikufumaneki uvavanyo olusemthethweni lomgangatho wamanzi emva konyaka ka-2014, ngoko ke asikwazi ukuchaza ukuba umlambo uvuselelwa na namhlanje. Iilwandle zibonisa ukuba kunokwenziwa isitrato ngesitrato; umlambo wonke akayi kulandelela.

Cheonggyecheon, Seoul

Isiqhamo esincinci esicacileyo esinemithi nendlela yokuhamba ehamba phantsi kwelali yeetafile zeofisi kwiphondo laseSeoul ekupheleni kosuku.
Cheonggyecheon kwisixeko saseSeoul, eyahamba ngaphantsi kwekhonkrithi kunye nomgangatho ophezulu wemoto ukuya kunyaka ka-2003. Photo: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. Umjelo ophakathi kweSeoul wawugqunywe ngekhonkrithi kunye nendlela esemgangathweni.

What was done. Between 2003 and 2005 the city tore down the motorway and opened up 5.8 kilometres of stream, at a total cost of about 380 million US dollars (Landscape Architecture Foundation, 2011).

Into ethe yalinganiselwa. Phakathi konyaka we-2003 nowe-2008 inani leenyama eziphilayo likhule ukusuka kwi4 ukuya kwi-25, iintaka zisuka kwi-6 ukuya kwi-36, izityalo zisuka kwi-15 ukuya kwi-192 kunye neembewu zisuka kwi-62 ukuya kwi-308. Umoya ohamba ngomlambo upholile ngo-3.3 ukuya ku-5.9 °C kunendlela ethe tye (I-Landscape Architecture Foundation), kwaye ngo-2025 abaphandi babhale iintlobo ezili-33 zeentlanzi, ezininzi ukusukelaI-Korea Herald, ngo-2025).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Umlambo usetyenziswa kakhulu: ngaphezulu kweetoni ezingama-48,000 zamanzi ziqhutywa kuwo ngosuku, amanzi acocekileyo eMlambo weHan kunye namalwandle aphantsi komhlaba, kwaye ukugcinwa kwayo kubiza malunga nezigidi ezili-2.9 ze-won ngonyaka (The Guardian, 2025). Ngo-2011, i-coliform bacteria elwandle yalinganiselwa ukuba inkulu kunaleyo isetyenziswa ukudada (The Korea Herald, 2011).

I-Ganges, i-India

Ii-dozens zezikhephe ezihamba ngeenyawo kwiGanges emini ebandayo eVaranasi, neetempile nezindlu ezindala kwiigadi ezisemva.
Usuku lweGanga eVaranasi, enye yemizi engcwele yomlambo kunye nenye yeendawo zayo zokujongana nolawulo. Photo: travelwayoflife, CC BY-SA 2.0

Into eyenze ukuba kube nzima. IGange ingcwele kumawaka amaninzi abantu abazigidi kwaye ibonelela ngamanzi kwinxalenye enkulu ye-India neBangladesh. Kwindlela yayo, iifektri ezinjengezibhedlele kunye neendawo zokupheka iwayini zidibanisa izityalo zabo kwizinto ezilahlekileyo zemimandla ekhula ngokukhawuleza.

Into eyenziwayo. Inkqubo yase-India ye Namami Gange, eyaqala ngo-2014, iqhuba ukwakha nokulandelela izityalo zokunyanga amanzi angcolileyo emntla nakwiindawo eziya kumlambo (National Mission for Clean Ganga). I-budget yayo yayiyi-20,000 yezigidi zee-rupee ukuya ku-Matshi 2021 kunye ne-22,500 yezigidi zee-rupee kwinqanaba lesithathu ukuya ku-2026. By March 2026, 21,340 crore rupees had been spent and 355 of 524 approved projects completed (Press Information Bureau, 2026), and by March 2025 treatment plants able to handle 3,446 million litres of sewage a day had been built or rehabilitated (Press Information Bureau, 2025).

Izinto ezilindelweyo Iibhaktiriya zefayibha ziye zahla kwiindawo ezijongwa yiGosa: ubalo oluphakathi eAssi Ghat eVaranasi lwahla ukusuka kwi-2,500 nge-100 ml ngo-2014 ukuya kwi-790 ngo-2025, kwaye eGandhi Ghat ePatna lwala phezulu ukusuka kwi-5,400 ukuya kwi-2,200, kuthelekiswa nomda wokuhlamba we-2,500 (I-Bureau yeNkcukacha zoMshicileli, 2026).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Ngo-2025, umgangatho wokugeza webhaktheriya yefaecal wahlangabezanwa kuphela kwiindawo ezithile zeUttar Pradesh, Bihar neWest Bengal, kwaye uthuli lwezinto eziphilayo lwaluphezulu kakhulu ukusuka eFarrukhabad ukuya eKanpur naseMirzapur ukuya eGhazipur (umthombo owodwa). Kwixesha leMaha Kumbh Festival ngo-2025, ingxelo yokuqala yeBhodi yoLawulo lokuNxibelelana noMonakalo eNtshona ifumanisa ukuba amanzi kwindawo ezijongwa alungele ukuhlamba iziqithi ngezinye amaxesha; ingxelo ehlaziyiweyo kamva yanika umda ophakathi ngaphakathi komda (The Hindu, 2025).

Imilambo yaseTshayina neYangtze

Iintaka ezithathu zeYangtze ezingafihlisiyo zishushumbisa ndawonye kwi-pool eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka.
Iintaka ezifihlisiyo zeYangtze kwiYunivesithi yeHydrobiology yeAcademy yaseTshayina yeSayensi eWuhan, ngo-2006. Photo: Huangdan2060, CC BY 3.0

What went wrong. In 2015 only 64.5 percent of China’s national monitoring points on rivers and lakes had water of Grade I to III, the grades that can be treated for drinking, and 8.8 percent were worse than Grade V, fit for almost nothing (Ministry of Environmental Protection, 2016). In March 2013 more than 16,000 dead pigs had been pulled from the Huangpu and its tributaries upstream of Shanghai, a source of the city’s tap water, after farms upstream dumped the carcasses in the river (The Guardian, 2013).

Into eyenziwayo. Ngo-Epreli 2015 iNkundla yeSizwe yakhupha iPhulo lokuSebenza lokuQwalasela nokuQiniseka koMonakalo wamanzi, elibizwa ngokuba yi “Water Ten”, elineenjongo zonyaka we-2020: ngaphezulu kweepesenti ezingama-70 zamanzi kwimilambo emibini ephambili kwiGrade III okanye ngaphezulu, izixeko ezincinci ezibangela umonakalo zivale, iintsapho zenyamakazi zitshintshe indawo ukusuka kumalwandle a sensitive kwaye malunga neepesenti ezingama-95 zezinto eziphuma emzini zilungiswe (iNkundla yeSizwe, 2015). Ngowama-2016 umlambo ngamnye nelali yafumana “umphathi womlambo”, umphathi obizwa ngokuba ngumphathi olawula amanzi ayo kwaye evavanywa ngokweempawu (Iofisi yoMlawuli weKomiti yeCPC kunye neNkundla yeSizwe, 2016; Umthetho wokuQwalasela nokuQiniseka koKhuseleko lwamanzi, Inqaku le5). By 2018, 97.8 percent of larger industrial parks had central wastewater treatment with online monitoring, and by 2019 cities had cleaned up 2,513 of the 2,899 “black and smelly” urban water bodies they had identified (Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 2018 and 2019 bulletins). A Yangtze River Protection Law, in force since March 2021, bans new chemical plants within one kilometre of the river and its tributaries (Yangtze River Protection Law), and commercial fishing in the Yangtze has been banned for ten years from 2021, with support for the fishers who stopped (Xinhua, 2026).

What was measured. By 2025, 91.4 percent of national monitoring points were at Grade I to III and 0.6 percent were worse than Grade V; in the Yangtze basin, 98.9 percent of 1,016 points were at Grade I to III (Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 2026). Inani lee-yangtze finless porpoises likhule ukusuka kuma-1,249 kwingxelo yonyaka ka-2022 ukuya kuma-1,426, kwaye iintlobo zeentlanzi ezili-351 zabhalwa kwi-basin ngowama-2021 ukuya ku-2025, ngaphezulu kwama-43 kunangaphambili kokungavunyelwa ukuloba (Xinhua, 2026).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Ngo-2025, amaphesenti angama-28.4 eelali ezinkulu neziqulatho zamanzi asasazwanga ngokugqithisileyo, kwaye ukukhula okuphezulu kwee-algae eTaihu kwagubungela ishumi lesihlanu lelali; iphosphorus ihlala iyingozi enkulu kwindlela yeYangtze (INkundla yoMthetho weMihlaba neNdawo ezingqongileyo, 2026). Iindidi zamanzi azilinganisi iplastiki: ukumiswa okuqhubekayo kweeplastikhi ezisetyenziswa kabini kwaqala ngo-2020 (NDRC kunye neNkonzo yoKhuselo lweNdawo noLwakhiwo, 2020), kodwa asikwazi ukufumana ubalo olutsha lokulinganisa iplastiki eyangcwatywa yiYangtze ukuya kulwandle. Uthungelwano lokujongana nobhubhane lwakhula ukusuka kwiincopho ezili-967 ngo-2015 ukuya kwi-3,641 ngo-2021, ngoko ke amanani okuqala neendleko azilingani kakuhle.

I-Seine, iParis

Abatyibilizi kwindawo yokuqubha ethe tyaba kwiSeine eParis, enedekhi yemithi, imithi neTower yeEiffel ngasemva.
Abatyibilizi kwiGrenelle indawo yokuqubha kwiSeine ngoAgasti 2026, unyaka omtsha wesibini wokuhamba ngomlambo ngokusemthethweni ngaphezulu kwekhulu elidlulileyo. Photo: Heidi Meudt, CC BY 4.0

Into eya kwenzeka kakubi. Ukuloba eSeine kwagwetywa ngo1923. Iindlela ezidala zesiqulatho seParis zithabatha amanzi acocekileyo kunye namaxesha emvula, kwaye kwiintsuku ezishushu zidlula emlambo; iindawo ezininzi eziphezulu komlambo zadityaniswa ngokungachanekanga neendawo zokutywina amanzi emvula. Ngowama-1970s kuphela malunga neentlobo ezintathu zeentlanzi zafunyanwa kumlambo ojikeleze iParis (France 3 / AFP, 2025).

What was done. Since 2015 a bathing plan has invested more than 1.4 billion euros in storage basins, sewer repairs, treatment plants and the correction of about 23,000 faulty household connections; one storage basin at Austerlitz alone holds 50,000 cubic metres and has worked since May 2024 (City of Paris). I-Olympic triathlon kunye ne-marathon swimming zaqhutywa kumlambo ngo-2024, nangona umhlwa wabangela ukulibazisa (France 24, 2024).

Into ethethwa ngayo. Ngomhla we-5 kuJulayi 2025, iindwendwe ezithathu zangaphakathi zivuleka, eBras Marie, Grenelle naseBercy (France 24, 2025). Ngo-2026 bafumana abakhenkethi abangama-120,000, iipesenti ezingama-20 ngaphezulu kunakwi-2025 (ISixeko saseParis, 2026). Ii-species eziphakathi kwe-35 ne-40 zeintlanzi zihlala ngoku kwiSeine ejikeleze iParis, ngokwegunya lezonyango lomhlaba, kubandakanya ne-bullhead, eyabuya (France 3 / AFP).

Akukho ngxaki sele iphelile. Umvula uqhubeka ubangela ukuba amapayi adala aphele, ngoko ke iindawo zivula kuphela xa umsinga, umgangatho wamanzi kunye nemozulu ivumela, kwaye isiqingatha se-2026 saphela kuqala ngenxa yemozulu (iSixeko saseParis). Iintlanzi ezingenayo i-gobi ziphakathi kweziqhelekileyo kakhulu ezinokuhanjiswa (France 3 / AFP).

I-phytoplankton ejikeleze iGotland kumlambo weBaltic.
I-phytoplankton ikhula ejikeleze isiqithi se Gotland kumlambo weBaltic, enye yeentlanzi ezixhaphakileyo kakhulu ngokuhlanganiswa kwezinto eziphilayo. Ityala: USGS/NASA Landsat 7

Izinto eziqhelekileyo

Funda ngaphaya kwakunye, iintsomi zithetha ngokufanayo. Iingozi zihlala zibangela ukuba abantu bakhathazeke: umlambo oshushu, i-bay ethe tyaba, umlilo wekhemikhali, umlambo ogcwele izimvu ezifileyo. Kwaza kwafika imithetho enexesha elimiselweyo, abantu ababizwa ngokuba ngabaphathi, imali yamapayi kunye neenkqubo zokunyanga, nokujongwa ukuba wonke umntu angayivavanya. Akukho nto yayiyikhawuleza. The Thames took more than half a century, the Mersey campaign ran for 25 years, the Rhine is still waiting for its salmon to be many, and people poisoned at Minamata are still asking to be recognised.

Akukho nkqubo nganye esebenza ngoku, kwaye uvavanyo lubonisa okucacileyo njengoko lurekhoda isiphumo. Kodwa apho amanzi angcolileyo eqokelelwa khona kwaye aphathwa khona, kunye neefektri ezifuna ukucoca oko bakhuphe khona, umlambo waphendula. Iidolophu ezikufutshane nePasig, iCitarum kunye neGanga zibonisa kwakhona namhlanje, umlambo omnye nosapho olunye ngexesha elinye.

Isizathu sokuba kutheni kusenzeka apha, yaye kutheni akuyingxaki yasekhaya

Uvavanyo lweMeijer luqhathanisa imilambo emibini. The Ciliwung, which flows through Jakarta, drains 591 square kilometres, less than half a percent of the Rhine basin in Western Europe, and its basin produces less plastic waste. Yet the Ciliwung was measured sending about 300 tonnes of plastic a year to the sea, and the Rhine about 3 tonnes. The difference is geography and infrastructure: in the Ciliwung basin, the average piece of waste is produced about 1 kilometre from a river and 29 kilometres from the ocean, and tropical rain flushes it through. Akukho nto malunga nabantu ehlukileyo. Imizi yabo yakhula ngokukhawuleza kunenkqubo zabo zotywala.

Amaza amnyama omlambo iCiliwung ehamba phakathi kweebhanki zekhonkrithi, imithi neentsapho eJakarta esembindini.
ICiliwung eJakarta esembindini. Its basin is less than half a percent of the size of the Rhine's, yet it was measured carrying about a hundred times more plastic to the sea. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

Iingxaki ezibangelwa

  • Uphuhliso olukhawulezayo lwezixeko. Imimandla yaseMzantsi naseNtshona Yurophu, eAfrika naseLatin Melika ikhule ngezigidi zamawaka abantu kwiminyaka emininzi, rhoqo kwizixeko ezingaqhelekanga ezikumlambo kunye neendawo ezityibilikayo apho akukho zithuthi zokugcina izinto, akukho qoqosho kwaye akukho manzi acocekileyo.
  • Iinkonzo ezilahlekileyo zezinto ezinobungozi. Ukuqokelela nokuphatha izinto ezinobungozi kubiza imali ekufuneka imimandla eneemali eziphantsi zezokhenketho ijonge ukuyifumana, kwaye abantu abaqokelelayo, abaninzi babo abaqulunqi-zinto ezingalunganga, bambalwa kakhulu abo bahlawuliswa ngeplastikhi engakholeli ukuthengwa kwakhona.
  • Iimveliso ezidweliswe kwezinye iindawo. Iisakhelo ezisetyenziswa kabini, iziqhoboshi ezineziqhamo kunye nezixhobo zokupakisha ezibizayo zidweliswe kwaye zithengiswe ziinkampani ezinoxanduva olukhulu ekufumaneni indawo apho akukho ndlela yokuzisebenzisa kwakhona khona.
  • Urhwebo lwamazwe ngamazwe lweemveliso ezilahlekileyo. Kwiminyaka emininzi, amazwe anamandla athumela izinto ezilahlekileyo zeplastiki kwamanye amazwe “ukuzisebenzisa kwakhona”. China took in about 45 percent of the world’s traded plastic waste from 1992 until it banned most imports in 2018; high-income countries exported about 70 percent of their plastic waste in 2016 to lower-income countries in East Asia and the Pacific, and about 111 million tonnes will need a new destination by 2030 (Brooks et al., 2018). Ezinye zazo izityalo ziphela kumlambo omnye.
Ii-swirls eziluhlaza neblue zeplankton ezilandelela imimoya yelwandle, ibonakala kwi-orbit.
Imimoya yelwandle ejikelezwe yi-plankton, ibonakala kwi-orbit. Amaza afanayo ahambisa iplastiki ejikelezayo ukusuka kumzantsi ukuya komnye. Ityala: NASA

Iplanethi enye, umlambo omnye

Amamlambo ahlalanga emda, nokuba ulwandle. Ibhotile eshiya iManila Bay ingahamba ngamandla ajikeleze iPacific; iiplastiki ezincinci zifunyenwe kumkhenkce weArctic ukuya kumatye anzulu kakhulu. Umda ngamnye welwandle ufumana into ephuma kwezinye iindawo zelwandle, kwaye ilizwe ngalinye lithenga kwaye lithengisa izinto ezipakishwe ziphela emanzini. Kukhona kuphela umlambo omnye, kwaye siyawubelana bonke, ngoko akukho nto injalo njengemlambo yomnye umntu.

Umlambo eManila ngumlambo wePacific. Into esiyenzayo kuyo, siyenza kwilwandle apho wonke umntu wethu exhomekeke kulo.

i-Europe ayisebenzi

Kunzima ukubona uthuli lomlambo njengengxaki yendawo ezide. Akunjalo. Imilambo yaseYuropu ihambisa iplastiki encinci ngenxa yeminyaka yorhwebo lokufumana, ukuthutha kunye nonyango kodwa iplastiki iyaqhubeka imvelaphi yayo nemilambo kunye neelwandle, kwaye ezinye zezinto ezilahlekileyo zabuyela emntla ntshona.

  • IMeditera yi-plastic trap. Igcina malunga neepesenti ezingama-1 zamanzi aselwandle ehlabathini kodwa malunga neepesenti ezingama-7 zeplastiki ezincinci, kwaye ngaphezulu kwezigidi ezili-200 zabakhenkethi ngonyaka baphakamisa iinkunkuma zaselwandle ukuya kuthi ga kwipesenti ezingama-40 ngexesha lonyaka (WWF, 2018). Iplastiki ejikelezayo yafunyanwa kwindawo nganye ethathwe njengesampulu kwibhanti, kuxinzelelo olufana nezona ndawo zikhulu zezinto ezilahlekileyo zelwandle, ukongeza ukuya kuthi ga kwi-1000 ukuya kwi-3000 yetoni ejikelezayo (Cózar et al., 2015).
  • IGrisi neziqithi zayo. Uvavanyo lweendawo zokuqubha ezili-80 zaseGrike lwafumanisa ukuba iplastiki yayiyipesenti ezingama-43 ukuya kuma-51 zezinto ezilahlekileyo, kwaye izinto eziqhelekileyo ziyimibhobho yesikhephe, izitshixo zebhotile, izitya, iibhotile, iziqhoboshi zokutya kunye neebhokisi; iGrisi isebenzisa kwakhona kuphela malunga nesihlanu seplastiki esetyenziswayo (WWF, 2018). On four beaches of Corfu, an average of about 142 new items per 100 metres washed up every 15 days, mostly carried in by the sea (Prevenios et al., 2018). Kwiintaka zaseMeditera, uthuli olufika kumalwandle lunyuka 4.7 amaxesha xesha lokhenketho (I-Grelaud neZiveri, ngo-2020).
Iinxalenye ezincinci zeplastikhi emnyama ethe tyaba phakathi kweegranite ezimnyama ze volcanic kumda wamanzi kwilali yaseTenerife.
Iinxalenye zeplastikhi phakathi kweegranite zevolcanic yelali yaseAtlantic eTenerife, kwiiNtaba zaseCanary zaseSpain. Photo: Marek Ślusarczyk (Tupungato), CC BY 3.0
  • Kumanzi nasezintlanzini. KwiGolf yeThermaic ecaleni kweThessaloniki, abaphandi babala malunga ne-750,000 yezinto ezincinci zeplastiki kwikilomitha enye yesikwere yomhlaba welwandle kwaye bafumana izinto ezincinci zeplastiki kuzo zonke iintlobo zeentlanzi ezisibhozo abazivavanye (Kermenidou et al., 2023). Plastic bottles pulled from the floor of the Aegean and Ionian seas stayed almost unchanged for about 15 years before they began to break down (Ioakeimidis et al., 2016).
  • Amalwandle amakhulu eYuropu. IRhine yazisa ngokuthe ngcembe malunga ne 890,000 yezinto ezincinci zeplastiki kwikilomitha enye yesikwere yomhlaba, kunye nokufikelela kwinto enkulu yezigidi ezingama-3.9 eduze kwemijikelo yeRhine-Ruhr (Mani et al., 2015). In the Austrian Danube, drifting plastic outnumbered drifting fish larvae, and the river was estimated to carry about 4.2 tonnes of plastic a day towards the Black Sea (Lechner et al., 2014).

I-European Union ngoku ithintela izinto ezininzi zeplastiki ezisetyenziswa kabini kwaye ifuna abavelisi ukuba bahlawule ukucoca ezinye phantsi kwe Single-Use Plastics Directive. Ezi zinyathelo ezilungileyo. Kodwa yonke indawo yokuqubha ecocekileyo kwisiqithi saseGrike ibonisa ukuba iplastiki, xa yenziwe, ihlala ixesha elide kuneyiphi na inkqubo.

Izinto ezisebenza

Iinkcukacha ezilungileyo kukuba ukusilela kwamanzi kunye yezona ngxaki zinzima abantu sele bazixazululile, kwiindawo ezininzi, amaxesha amaninzi ngaphezulu, njengoko imilambo ibonisa ngasentla. Izixhobo zibizwa ngokuba:

Ii-tanki ezimbini ezijikelezayo zonyango lweendawo ezilahlekileyo ecaleni kwelali, zibonakala ngasentla, zijikelezwe ngamatye nakwiindlu eBangalore.
Isixeko esincinci sonyango lweendawo ezilahlekileyo ecaleni kweDoddabommasandra Lake eBangalore, eIndia. Photo: Vraj Acharya, WELL Labs, CC BY-SA 4.0
  1. Iziyobisi zezinto eziphilayo. Ukuqokelela nokuziyobisi amanzi angcolileyo kuyindlela esebenzayo yokhuseleko lwempilo yabasetyhini kwimbali. Xa izityalo zokunyanga zikhiwa kwaye zigcinwa, isifo esidluliselwa ngamanzi siwela phantsi.
  1. Ukutya izityalo, hayi imilambo. Ukusetyenziswa kwee-fertilizers ezichanekileyo, ukugubungela izityalo, kunye nokukhusela iinkuni neentyatyambo ngaphaya komngcipheko womlambo kunganciphisa kakhulu ukuphuma kwezinto eziphilayo, kwaye kugcine imali yabafazi kwi-fertilizer.
Imifanekiso esuka phezulu yendlela yokuhamba kweelwandle ejikelezwe ngumthi omkhulu kunye nemithi phakathi kwemihlaba eqhutywa nge-iowa.
Isikhuseli somthi kunye nemithi ehamba ngaphaya kweBear Creek kwiStory County, Iowa, itsala umhlaba kunye nokutyalwa kwezityalo ukusuka kwimihlaba emibini phambi kokuba zifike emanzini. Ifoto: USADA Natural Resources Conservation Service, ipropathi yomphakathi
  1. Igunya, ulawulo, ukupapashwa. Ukutywina kweshishini kuhla xa igunya limisela umda, ulawulo luqhubeka kwaye iziphumo zifumaneka kwangoko. Ukubonakala kusebenza kuba akukho mntu ufuna ukuba yigama kwimaphu.
  2. Buyisela iindawo ezimanzi. Iindawo ezimanzi ziinkqubo zokucoca amanzi kwiplanethi, zigcina iintaka kwaye zisusa i-nitrogen ngaphandle kwexabiso.
  3. Ixabiso lothuli. Ukuhlawula iindleko zokutywina, nokuhlawula abasemagunyeni ngeendlela zokusetyenziswa kwamanzi acocekileyo, kuguqula amanzi acocekileyo ibe yinto exhaswa yintengiso.
  4. Khupha ibhokisi nganye, uhlawule abaqoqi. Iplastikhi emininzi yomlambo iqala njengento engagcinwanga ngumntu. Ukuqokelelwa okuqhelekileyo kwiindawo zokuhlala ezingaqhelekanga, kunye nokufumana imali efanelekileyo yabaqoqi bezinto ezilahlekileyo abasele bebuyisela uninzi lwezinto ezisetyenzisiweyo kwakhona, ukuyeka iplastikhi phambi kokuba ifike emanzini.
  5. Yiqhoboshe phambi kokuba ifike elwandle. Izithintelo, iintlanzi kunye neengxowa zezinto ezilahlekileyo kumlambo omncinci wedolophu kunye nemijelo ingaqhatha izityalo ezihambayo phantsi kolwandle kufutshane nalapho ziphuma khona. Zithi zinyanga iimpawu, hayi isizathu, kodwa kumamlambo amancinci asezidolophini alawula uluhlu lwemimandla efanelekileyo, zinokwenza utshintsho olukhulu ngelixa ukuqoqosho luphuculwa.
  1. Yenza abavelisi babe nelungelo. Xa abavelisi behlawula ukuqoqwa kweempahla ezithengisiweyo, kwaye inkqubo yokubuyiselwa imali ihlawulisa abantu ukuba bayibuyisele, iimpahla zicwangciswe ukusetyenziswa kwakhona nokugcinwa kwakhona endaweni yokuhamba emlanjeni.
  2. Ishishini elicocekileyo, iinkqubo ezidityanisiweyo. Iiqela zezibhedlele kunye nemisebenzi yoboya ingabelana ngenkqubo enye yokunyanga amanzi aphumayo, kwaye abathembi besikhumba kunye neempahla ezinobumba bangafuna amanzi acocekileyo njengemeko yesicelo ngasinye.

Iiprojekthi oza kuzixhasa

Ii-Gosa zazenza ukuhambisa okunzima kwiimvakalelo eziphezulu, kodwa azisoloko zihlala phantsi. Amaqela angasebenziyo afumana iinkunkuma emlanjeni phambi kokuba zifike elwandle, uvavanyo lwamanzi apho abaphathi bendawo abawenzanga khona, bathathe ababangela ukusilela kwindlu yomthetho kwaye baguqule amawaka eezigidi zabaxhasi-mali ukuba babe yidatha. Ezi zizinye zezona zikhulu ezimiselweyo, nganye ineziphumo ezipapashiweyo. Nceda ujonge ukuba bayenza ntoni, kwaye ukuba ungakwenza, ubanike ngokuthe ngqo ngeewebhusayithi zabo.

  • Ucoceko lweOcean (iNetherlands). Isiseko esingaziyobisi esivelisa iimashini zokususa iplastiki. Iinkqubo ze-elektroniki Abaqhoboshi, izithintelo ezidadayo kunye neebhayisikili ezincinci zokuthwala zitsala iinkunkuma kwezinye zeelwandle ezibangela uthuli kunye nemilambo esuka eKingston eJamaica ukuya eMotagua eGuatemala, Los Angeles naseBangkok, kwaye inkqubo yayo “yeMizi-30” ijonge kwimizi-30 emikhulu yolwandle. At sea, System 03, a floating barrier that funnels plastic into a retention zone that is emptied onto a ship about every four days, has worked in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch since 2023 and caught almost 500,000 kg there. Ibhodi yolawulo lwabucala ibala malunga nezigidi ezi-65 zeekilogram ezisuswa kumamlambo nakumalwandle ngokupheleleyo; iqela lithi le mibalo ekhawulezayo ivavanywa yinkampani ekhululekileyo iDNV kuphela ngexesha ngalinye (imlambo, ilwandle, ibhetri yekhompyuter). Abaphandi bayo bavelisa uluhlu lomlambo olusetyenziswa kule phepha. Iintlawulo ziya kwiStichting The Ocean Cleanup, isiseko esibhalisiweyo soncedo lwabahlali eNetherlands, okanye e-US kuMhlobo waseMelika weOcean Cleanup, iqela lothando le-501(c)(3) (FAQ).
  • UMnu. Ivili leNkunkuma (Baltimore, i-United States). Iivili ezine ezijongeka ngathi ziyi-googly eyed, zaqala phakathi konyaka ka-2014 no-2021, zihlala emlonyeni womlambo odlulayo kwisikhululo senqwelomoya saseBaltimore. Ibhombu ihambisa umonakalo ojikelezayo kwivili ngalinye, nevili lamanzi lijika ngemimandla, lixhaswe ziipompo ezisebenza ngokukhanya kwelanga, liqhuba isiqhoboshi kunye nomthwalo wempahla esiya kwisithuthi sokugcina izinto. Together they collect about 500 US tons (about 450 tonnes) of rubbish a year, about 90 percent of it washed in by rain storms, and volunteers hand-count the contents of a dumpster each year to help inform anti-litter laws. Ziqhutywa yiWaterfront Partnership yeBaltimore, i-501(c)(3) engaphumelelanga; iimatshini zikhiwa kwaye zigcinwa yiClearwater Mills, inkampani yaseMaryland (ukunqunyulwa kweempahla ezilahlekileyo, ukusebenza kwayo).
Ivili elihambayo lezinto ezilahlekileyo elineembono ezinkulu, ivili lamanzi nekhabhathi yendlu, libekwe kwisiphelo sebhombu eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka kwisikhululo seenqanawa saseBaltimore.
Mr. Ivili le-Trash ekumlomo weJones Falls eBaltimore. I-orange boom iqhuba umonakalo ojikelezayo kwivili, ekhupha into kwindawo yokulahla. Photo: Matthew Bellemare, CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Iqela loKhuseleko lwamanzi (iNew York, isebenza emhlabeni wonke). Born from a group of Hudson River fishermen who fought industrial polluters from 1966, the alliance was founded in 1999 and now links 296 local Waterkeeper groups in more than 40 countries and territories. Balawula imilambo yabo, amalwandle kunye nemida kwaye basebenzisa ubugcisa belizwe, izigwebo kunye nomsebenzi wenkqubo ukuphatha ababangela umonakalo kwimali (malunga).
  • Isikhuselo seOcean (Washington, D.C.). Inkqubo yayo ye I-International Coastal Cleanup ithathe abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezili-19 ukuba basebenze ngokuzithandela kumachibi nakwiindlela zokuhamba amanzi, abakhuphe ngaphezulu kwama-400 amawaka eenyawo zezinto ezingafunekiyo, kwaye irekhoda yonke into ngeClean Swell app, ngoko ke ucoceko luthi sibone ukuba zeziphi izinto eziphelelwa ngamanzi.
  • Surfrider Foundation (iCalifornia, eneendawo eziliqela eMzantsi Melika). I-Blue Water Task Force iqhuba ngaphezulu kweelaboratoriya ezingaphezu kwama-60 ezisebenza ngokuzibophelela ezivavanya iibhaktiriya kwiindawo ezingaphezulu kwe-600 zesilwandle, iziqithi kunye neendawo zokuhamba amanzi, apho uvavanyo olusemthethweni luhlala luphuma kwixesha lonyaka, kwaye lusebenzisa iziphumo zokukhuthaza ukulungiso (Blue Water Task Force).
  • Thames21 (London). Iqela elibhalisiweyo lezemali (inani 1103997) eliza namawaka abantu abasebenza ngokuzinikela ngonyaka ukucoca nokubuyisela i-400 yeemayile zomlambo waseLondon kunye nemijelo, umsebenzi wosuku ngalunye emva kokubuyiselwa kweThames ochazwe phezulu.

Ukwenza ntoni, nokuba ungathatha njani inxaxheba

Amalwandle acocekileyo akhiwa ziinkqubo zolawulo, iinkampani zamanzi kunye neefama kodwa nakwizigidi zabantu abancinci abaneentloko ezincinci kunye nemizuzu embalwa yomsebenzi owenziwe ngokuzibophelela. Oku kukunceda, ukusuka kwigumbi lokuhlambela ukuya kwindlu yomasipala. xa ukulungele ukwenza okuninzi, Local Solar System I-Foundation Iphepha le Get Involved Iinketho ze projekti Imisebenzi yobulali ukuthatha indawo apho uhlala khona, kunye nendlela yokufumana Fumana okanye qala isahluko sangaphakathi. Iiprojekthi eziphezulu ziyavuya ukuxhaswa ngabancedisi kunye nokunikezelwa kweempahla. Ulwazi oluthe kratya malunga ne- ibhodi, apho iBhunga leNtsebenziswano livavanya khona yonke inkxaso.

Ekhaya

  • Isiqulathi sefayibha. Yishiye i-fayibha yokupheka, ioli ne-grate zipholile, emva koko uzikhulise kwisiqulathi sefayibha. Zibangela ukuba kuphele i-20,000 yokutshisa amanzi elwandle ngonyaka kwinethiwekhi yeThames Water kuphela, 28% yokungena kuyo yonke (Thames Water, 2025). Ngo-2017 “i-fatberg” enye ye-fat kunye ne-wipes phantsi kweWhitechapel eLondon yakhula ibe yimitha ezili-250 ubude kunye neetoni ezingama-130 (BBC, 2017).
  • Nciphisa kuphela i-pee, i-poo kunye nephepha. Ii-wipes ezimanzi zibangela iipesenti ezingama-94 zokuvalwa kweendawo zokugcina amanzi eUnited Kingdom, kwaye ii-sewers ezivaliweyo kuthetha ukuba izityalo ezidlula emanzini ashushu zisetyenziswa rhoqo (Water UK; Bin the Wipe). Ii-wipes, iinwele zekotoni kunye neemveliso zococeko ziya kwibhokisi.
Isikhuseli se-manhole esijikelezayo esiyenziwe ngentsimbi eshushu kwindlela yokuhamba yaseLondon enelogo yeThames Water kunye namabinzana "I-Whitechapel fatberg yalahleka apha ngo-2017".
Isikhuseli se-manhole eWhitechapel, eLondon, sibonisa indawo apho i-130-ton fatberg ye-fat ne-wipes yasuswa khona kwisichumisi ngo-2017. Photo: AndyScott, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Thiba kwakhona iziyobisi ezingafunekiyo. Musa ukuzihlamba okanye uzithuthe: zisa kwipheki okanye kuhlelo lokuzithatha kwakhona (NHS; US EPA). A study of 258 rivers in 104 countries found at least one medicine at a level considered unsafe for wildlife, or of concern for antibiotic resistance, at more than a quarter of the places sampled (Wilkinson et al., 2022).
  • Gcina izithuthi ezisuka edolophini zimanzi. Kwiintlambo ezininzi, izithuthi ezisuka edolophini zihamba ngokuthe ngqo kumlambo okwindawo ekufuphi ngaphandle konyango (iGosa lase-UK). Musa ukutywina ipeyinti, ioli yemoto okanye amanzi acocekileyo esuka ekuhlamba imoto kwinye; chukua ipeyinti neoli kulawulo lokubuyisela kwakhona.
  • Ukutya igadi, hayi umlambo. Sebenzisa ukutya okuncinci kunye nemithi yokunyanga izifo, kuphela inani elicetyiswayo, gcina kude neendawo ezinomkhenkce neziqhamo, kwaye ungaze uyisasazi phambi kokuba kufike imvula (US EPA). Ukuba unesikwere esifutshane nelanga, isiqwenga semithi ehlala kwindawo ethile ejikeleze umngxunya welwandle sicoca amanzi aphumayo phambi kokuba afike.

Indawo ohlala kuyo

Abavolontiya abasibhozo kwijaketi yokuphila kunye neebhayisekile, iikayaks kunye neebhetyi zezinto ezilahlekileyo eziqokelelwayo kwibanki yegrabile yomlambo iTrinity eCalifornia.
Abavolontiya emva kosuku lokuloba ucoceko kumlambo iTrinity eNtshona kweCalifornia. Ifoto: iBhodi yoLawulo lweNdawo yaseCalifornia, indawo yomphakathi

  • Uhlale ukhuselekile xa wenza oku. Nceda gqoka izihlangu okanye sebenzisa isiqhoboshi sokubulala inkunkuma, qala xa imvula iphantsi okanye iiyure ezimbini emva kokuba imvula iphezulu, kwaye ungangeni kwisisombululo, iidrums okanye nantoni na ebonakala ingalunganga: shiya apho ikhona uze uyixelele. NjengeSizwe soKhuseleko lwezilwandle sithi, ukuba ukhathazekile, musa ukunyusa (MCS organizer guide, 2026).

  • Uvavanyo lomlambo wakho. Iinkqubo zobunzululwazi bomphakathi zinika isixhobo esilula, uqeqesho kunye nendawo yokwabelana ngeempumelelo. FreshWater Watch, run by Earthwatch, has collected more than 70,000 sets of measurements from over 22,000 volunteers around the world. I-Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch icela abantu base-UK naseIreland ukuba bajonge umlambo kwimizuzu engama-15, kabini ngonyaka, ngenkqubo yokusebenza esimahla. I- Ubudlelwane beRiverfly iqeqesha abavolontiya ukuba balandelele izidalwa ezincinci zomlambo ezixhaphakileyo kutywala. I EarthEcho Water Challenge inceda abantu abatsha bavavanye amanzi abo asekuhlaleni, Water Rangers ibonelela ngezixhobo zovavanyo kunye nenkqubo yolwazi oluvulekileyo eCanada, Waterwatch ixhasa amaqela eAustralia, kwaye iSurfrider’s Blue Water Task Force ivavanya iindawo zokuqubha eUnited States.

Abantwana nabafazi abasebenza ngokuzimisela bemile emlanjeni ecaleni komlambo, begcwalisa iikomityi ezincinci ngamanzi omlambo ukuze bavavanye isixhobo.
IiNtsapho zesikolo esiphakamileyo saseDenver kunye nabasebenzeli ngokuzenzekelayo bavavanya umlambo waseSouth Platte ukuba umnyama kangakanani, ubushushu no pH ngesixhobo esilula sokujongana nemeko yendalo. Photo: US Environmental Protection Agency, public domain
  • Gcina ingxelo yothuli xa ubona. Intlanzi efile, amanzi acocekileyo, i-oyile ekhanyayo, iphofu okanye imibala engaqondakaliyo: qaphela indawo nexesha, kuthatha umfanekiso ukuba ikhuselekile, kwaye unxulumane nomphathi wendawo ngokukhawuleza. ENgilani, i-EEPA’s incident line yi 0800 80 70 60, ngemini nangemini (UK government); eScotland, i-SEPA ithatha iingxelo kwi-intanethi okanye kwi-0800 807060 (SEPA); eIreland, i-national complaints line yi 1800 365 123 kwaye iikomiti ezininzi zifumana ingxelo nge-See it? Isicelo seSay it! (EPA Ireland); eMelika, i-EPA inefom yengxelo kwi-intanethi, kwaye iziganeko ezikhawulezayo ziye kwiSixeko esiPhambili soKuphendula kwi-1-800-424-8802 (US EPA); eVictoria, eOstreliya, i-EPA Victoria iphendule kwi-1300 372 842 (EPA Victoria). Naphi na apho, ikomiti yakho yasekhaya okanye i-National Environment Agency yindawo efanelekileyo yokuqalisa.
  • Ukuthatha umlambo. Ezinye iindawo ziqhuba inkqubo apho isikolo, iklabhu okanye iqela lamakhaya lijonga umlambo okanye indawo yokuqubha kwaye liyijonge rhoqo; IGeorgia Adopt-A-Stream eUnited States yenye yezona zinto zisebenza ixesha elide. Ukuba akukho nto ekufuphi nawe, cebisa enye njenge umsebenzi wobulali.

Ngezwi lakho

42%of the world's household wastewater was not safely treated in 2022 (I-UN-Water, 2024)
22,289bathing sites were monitored in Europe in 2025, and 85 percent were rated excellent (I-EEA)
94%of sewer blockages in the United Kingdom are caused by wet wipes (Ulawulo lweeNkonzo)
  • Umbuzo wolwazi. Ininzi yalo sele ifumaneka kumazwe aphesheya. ENgilani naseScotland, imaphu yolwandle lweRivers Trust ibonisa ukuba ulwandle luya kuphuma ngamanzi xa kubanda kwaye luya phuma ngamandla kangakanani (The Rivers Trust); eYuropu, i European Environment Agency ishicilela iziphumo zendawo ezingaphezu kwe-22,000 zokuhlamba, iipesenti ezingama-85 zazo zidweliswe njengezilungileyo ngo-2025 (EEA); eUnited States, i EPA’s How’s My Waterway ibonisa isimo samalwandle namachibi asekuhlaleni. Xa akukho lwazi, buza ikomiti yakho okanye uncedo lwamanzi ukuba kutheni akukho, nokuba yintoni inkqubo.
  • Uxhaso lokubuyiselwa kwetyala kunye noxanduva lomthengisi. Ityala libuyisela ibhotile necansi phambi kokuba zifike kumlambo, kwaye amalungiselelo omthengisi abangela ukuba abavelisi bebhokisi bahlawule ukugcinwa kwayo. Isichaza-magama seplastiki sokuhluza sibonisa ukuba zisebenza njani kakuhle.
Iibhotile zeplastikhi ezitywiniweyo ezithe tyaba zilinde ukubuyiselwa.
Iibhotile zeplastikhi ezitywiniweyo ezilungiselelwe ukuphinda zisetyenziswe. Iinkqubo zokutyala zibuyisela iibhegi ezicocekileyo nezihlanganisiweyo, ezizenza zibe lula ukuzisebenzisa kwakhona kwiibhegi ezintsha. Photo: Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Ukutshatyalaliswa kwakhona kweendawo zokuhlambela kunye nonyango. Ngo-2022, iipesenti ezingama-42 zamanzi angcolileyo ehlabathini azange alungiswe ngokukhuselekileyo (UN-Water, 2024). Ukubuyiswa ngaphaya kwephepha lonke kwahlawulwa ngemali yomphakathi, i-bills yamanzi okanye zombini; sithi abathunywa bakho ukuba uxhasa oku.
  • Nceda uxhase abasemagunyeni abakhusela amanzi, kwaye ubuze iivenkile ukuba iimveliso zabo zivela phi. Buza iibrand ozithengayo ukuba zipapashe ukuba zingaphi iplastiki ezithengisayo kwiindawo ezingaqokelelwanga khona izityalo, kwaye zenza ntoni ukuyibuyisela.

xa utyelela

  • Ungashiya lutho. Yithathele indlu yakho izityalo ezisuka kumachibi, kwimilambo nakwiilali, ngakumbi apho akukho kuqoqosho oluqhelekileyo.
  • Yizise kwakhona kunokuyithenga. Nxibelelana nebhotile engayizise kwakhona kwaye uvale ibhokisi kunye neesakhethi ezisetyenziswa kabini; apho amanzi aphumayo angakhuselekanga ukuwasela, landela iingcebiso zonyango zasekhaya.
  • Khangela phambi kokuba uhambe, usebenzisa iimpawu zomgangatho wamanzi okanye amaxabiso, kwaye uhlale ngaphandle kwamanzi emva kwemvula enamandla kwiindawo apho amanzi aphuma khona.
  • Nceda usebenze ngokuzinikela. Ukuba ufuna ukukunceda kumlambo otyheli ezweni elingaphandle, funda ya khona, kufunda, kwaye nceda ngezantsi kuqala.

Yabelana ngeembono zakho

Imilambo ephezulu koluhlu aluyi kubekwa ngokutshalwa kwesandla ngasinye. Ziza kulungiselwa ngamawaka eengcamango ezilungileyo, zivavanywe apho abantu behlala khona: indlela engcono yokupakisha, ivenkile yokuphinda uphinde usebenzise, iqela lesikolo elilinganisela umlambo wayo, intaka ebiza ngaphantsi yendlela, ixabiso elifanelekileyo leplastiki eqoqwe. Sithumelele iinkunzi zakho, ezininzi kakhulu.

Yiya khona, ufunde, kwaye

Into eyona ibalulekileyo abanye abantu bangayenza kukuya. Abanjiniyela, oogqirha, abafundisi, abayili, abafundi kunye nabaqeshi abasele bexakekile banokubonelela ngeenkqubo ezincinci zezixhobo, kwaye babuyisele ukuqonda okungabakho nqaku elikwaziyo ukunika. Ukuba ungakwazi ukutyelela omnye walawo manzi, yenza njengolungu losapho, hayi njengomkhuseli.

  • Qala ngokuva. Xhulumana neendawo zokuhlala, iiyunivesithi, iinkokheli zomlambo kunye neofisi zesixeko phambi kokuba ufike, kwaye ubuze ukuba bafuna ntoni. Abantu abahlala ngaphaya kwezi mlambo basebenza kuzo iminyaka emininzi.
  • Lulanisa nolawulo kunye neentsapho. Utshintsho oluqhubekayo lufuna zombini: abaphathi basekuhlaleni abanokuguqula iindlela zokuqokelela kunye neelayisensi, nabasekuhlaleni abagqiba ukuba yintoni esiya emanzini yonke imihla. Unikezelo lokudibanisa, musa ukutshintsha.
Umntwana ogqoke i-shirt eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ehamba ngeenyawo ezithe tyaba kwiithayile ezithambileyo zendlela yomlambo, eqoqa izitya zeplastiki phakathi kweendidi zezityalo zamanzi kumlambo weBenue.
Umntwana uqoqa izitya zeplastiki emlanjeni womlambo weBenue eNigeria, ngo-2018. Abantu abaphila ngaphaya komlambo otyheli sele besebenza kuwo. Photo: Ummigarba, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Ukufundisa, nokufundiswa. Ukwabelana ngolwazi lwakho malunga nolawulo, ucoceko, inkqubo yokubulala izitshabalalisi okanye ukhuseleko, kwaye ufunde indlela izinto ezisebenza ngayo kweli lizwe. Ukwenza ukuba inkqubo ye-ECD ibe lula
  • Uhlale ukhuselekile. Amanzi angcolileyo anezifo kunye neekhemikhali. Qhubeka ulandela iingcebiso zokuhamba zelizwe lakho, ufumane iziyobisi ezicetyiswa yiklinikhi yokuhamba, ungaze uhambe okanye usele emanzini anjalo, kwaye ugcine umthetho namasiko asekuhlaleni.
  • Yithi ngokucacileyo. I Local Solar System Foundation ayiququzeli, ixhasi okanye ihlawulele ukuhamba. Nabani na oncedayo enza njalo njengomsebenzi wezandla okhululekileyo kwaye akafuni ukuqoqa imali ngegama lethu.

xa ubuyela, sithi into oyifumeneyo ngefomu engaphezulu, kwaye ujonge ukuba iqala isahluko sangaphakathi ukuze umsebenzi uqhubeke nalapho nihlala khona.

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