Question NW231 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

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19 March 2021 - NW231

Profile picture: Buthelezi, Ms SA

Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

Whether, in light of the fact that the residents of Ndwedwe Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, have raised the alarm that for eight years they have not had safe sources of water and as a result they are forced to share storm water with cattle and at times have been forced to utilise urine-contaminated water (details furnished), her department (a) intends to conduct onsite inspection of water infrastructure in Ndwedwe and (b) has any plans to repair and upscale water and sanitation infrastructure in Ndwedwe; if not, what is the position in each case; if so, what are the relevant details of the plans and estimated project timeline?

Reply:

(a) The Ndwedwe Local Municipality (LM) falls under iLembe District Municipality (DM) which is a water service authority within its area of jurisdiction. This entails that its mandate is to provide both water and sanitation services to all of its four local municipalities (Ndwedwe LM, Mandini LM, KwaDukuza LM and Maphumulo LM). The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will work together with the iLembe DM to conduct an investigation regarding the residents’ complaint of not having safe water sources for domestic use. This approach will allow a coordinated solution to resolving the alleged water insecurity within the Ndwedwe LM areas. Our regional office in Kwa-Zulu Natal will conduct an onsite inspection to verify the current status of water supply in the area.

(b) I am informed that Ndwedwe LM has nineteen (19) wards and the level of service in these wards ranges from rudimentary to more reliable bulk water supply systems. Wards 1 to 9, 16 and 17 are supplied through small localized water supply schemes or stand-alone water schemes. The iLembe DM is aware that some of the water sources have been vandalized in some of the infrastructure of these small schemes and that has led to some not being able to supply water sustainably. In cases where the normal supply is affected, water shedding is applied and water tankers are used to augment the supply. These are monitored by the ward committee members and councillors

(c) For wards 10 to 15, 18 and 19, these areas are supplied through the existing bulk water supply scheme. Communities under wards 13 and 14 are supplied from the Umgeni Water bulk water supply system. Currently, these areas are receiving water intermittently due to shortages from the Umgeni bulk supply. As a result, the municipality is receiving 9 ML instead of 12 ML, and the 9 ML is distributed to wards 10 to 15, 18 and 19. Umgeni Water has completed the upgrade of the pumping system from the Hazelmere Waterworks, and is awaiting an upgrade of the electrical transformer to supply pump station 1, which will be done by eThekwini Metro (anticipated to be completed during 2021). To ensure there is sufficient storage, the iLembe DM has completed reservoirs 3 and 4 so that, once the transformer to supply the pump station 1 is completed, the system will be back to its normal supply. In addition, areas affected by the current construction were informed by the iLembe DM, water tankers are made available to augment the supply and are monitored by the ward committee members and councillors.

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