The Mbabane River (Swazi: ÉMbábáne) is a river in the Ezulwini Valley in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). It flows through Hhohho District in the north-west of the country. Eswatini's capital, Mbabane, is located along the river. Tributaries include the Polinjane River.
The river flows into the Lusushwana River at Lobamba and is part of the Maputo River basin.
Pollution
The river’s water is used by people living along its banks for drinking, household purposes and agriculture. Several factors contribute to its pollution and declining water quality. Eswatini experienced significant urbanisation during the 1980s, leading to the growth of informal settlements around Mbabane in the Ezulwini Valley. These settlements lacked regulated waste collection and sewage treatment systems. Wastewater from Mbabane is treated at a modern treatment plant in the Ezulwini Valley, approximately 5 km outside the capital, before ultimately being discharged into the river. Agricultural activity in the valley’s peri-urban areas, including sheep and cattle farming, also reduces water quality by increasing concentrations of contaminating microorganisms.
A study of pollution levels in the river between January and March 2009 found that concentrations of faecal coliform bacteria and chemical oxygen demand exceeded recommended levels at all seven sampling sites. The study also recorded an increase in the river’s pollution indicators.
See also Geography of Eswatini
References