Evaluation of the impacts of clay brick production on water quality and socio-economic issues in Dididi Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Clay brick production forms one of the preferred economic activities in rural areas. However, there is “a competition for land and resources between brick production and other subsistence agricultural activities. This study was conducted to assess water quality and socio-economic issues related to small-scale clay brick production in Dididi village, Limpopo province South Africa. This study utilised positivism research philosophy and adopted a mixed-method research design in data collection. Questionnaires were adopted for this study together with field data collection measuring water parameters. Fifty (50) respondents provided input to the designed questionnaire, and 54 % of the respondents stressed on the negative impacts of clay brick production on the environment. Majority of respondents (84 %) reported that clay brick manufacturing provides business opportunities, hence a source of income. Clay brick production uses significant amounts of firewood in the kiln process leading to vegetation destruction, air pollution from the smoke, and potentially human respiratory challenges. Furthermore, liquid waste from the processes flows back in the river, increasing the total solids, suspended solids and this is an eyesore to the environment. From the collected water samples, the analysis showed no adverse effects in the river source for domestic water use according to standards stipulated by the Department of Water Affairs. For example, pH values were within the permissible regulatory range (between 6.0 and 9.0). However, continued monitoring of the activities in the area is recommended in policing environmental degradation since there was an indication of land degradation as a result of excessive use of sand.