Question NW828 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

Reply:

Honourable Member, it is important to distinguish the functions of various government departments and the different spheres of government when it comes to access to water and sanitation services.

• The Department of Water and Sanitation is the custodian of water and in terms of the National Water Act is responsible for ensuring that water as a resource is allocated equitably and used beneficially in the public interest, while promoting environmental values.
• Schedule 4B of the Constitution places the function of provision of water services to local government (municipalities).
• Section 154 of the Constitution places a responsibility on national and provincial government to support and regulate local government in carrying out this mandate.
• Section 3 of the Water Services Act outlines the right of access to basic water supply and sanitation which mandates that “everyone has a right of access to basic water supply and basic sanitation” and places the responsibility on Water Services Authorities to ensure that they develop a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) to ensure the realisation of this right.
• Section 4 of the Water Services Act sets conditions for the provision of water services.
• Section 9 of the Water Services Act prescribes that the Minister may from time to time develop compulsory national norms and standards for water services which outline the exact levels of services that municipalities must provide.
• Section 10 of the Water Services Act provides norms and standards for setting tariffs for the provision of water services.
• Section 11 of the Water Services Act mandates that “every Water Services Authority has the duty to all consumers or potential consumers in its area of jurisdiction to progressively ensure efficient, affordable, economical and sustainable access to water services.”
• Section 84(1) d of the Municipal Structures Act mandates that municipalities are responsible for the provision of potable water and domestic waste water disposal systems.

1. Phase 1 of the Driefontein Scheme was implemented by uThukela District Municipality and is now complete, whilePhase 2 is in progress. Phase 3 (i.e. Spioenkop-Ladysmith Scheme) consists of both economic and social components and requires contributions from beneficiaries of the project who are able to pay for services. As the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) does not cover costs pertaining to the economic component, the municipality had to come up with about R1 billion co-funding.

The municipality entered into negotiations with Umgeni Water with the aim to secure assistance with co-funding and the implementation of the project. After conducting due diligence, Umgeni Water decided to conduct further detailed feasibility studies on the project. To this end, Umgeni Water has appointed a professional service provider to undertake the pre-feasibility study. The detailed feasibility study of the uThukela DM Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme (uTDM RBWSS) will include:

• Water resource modelling for the Upper uThukela Catchment,
• A pre-feasibility analysis to identify options for supply
• A detailed Feasibility Study of the most appropriate option for future bulk water supply to uThukela District Municipality.

(a) The total costs for the project can only be determined once the detailed feasibility study has been concluded because the information required to calculate costs will be obtained from the outcomes of the study.

 

(b-c) The funding allocations and the source of funding will be determined from information generated during the implementation readiness study. The implementation readiness study is dependent on conclusion of the detailed feasibility study will be determined once the total costs have been determined.

(d-g) The information on the proposed period of construction, including completion dates of a bulk raw water pipeline and the source of raw water and proposals for the filtration of the bulk raw water can only be determined once the detailed feasibility study has been concluded.

(2) The expenditure on water distribution infrastructure from inception up to 31 January 2021 is R102 400 021.

(3) The sources for the bulk distribution network are nine (9) production boreholes. The boreholes are being used as an interim source until long-term sustainable bulk water resource has been developed.

 

(4) The Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant allocations given to the Driefontein Water Complex Project since the 2010-11 financial year are as follows:

Financial year	Allocations
2010/11	R 11 470 200
2011/12	R 22 302 100
2012/13	R 16 308 355
2013/14	R 56 726 749
2014/15	R 80 977 114
2015/16	R 20 801 030
2016/17	R 64 000 000
2017/18	R 28 000 000
2018/19	R 45 000 000
2019/20	R 10 000 000
2020/21	R 39 399 000
Total	R394 984 548