Question NW2538 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
20 September 2023 - NW2538
Mey, Mr P to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether his department has been informed that the residents of the Port Edward and Banners Rest areas in the Ugu District Municipality in the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal have been without an adequate water supply for extended periods of time due to inefficiencies at the Umtamvuna Water Treatment Plant and alleged illegal water connections, thus limiting the local authority’s ability to provide water to the specified communities and that raw sewerage is currently running into the streets of certain areas within the specified residential areas, including the local lagoon and into the ocean; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (2) whether he and/or his department intends taking any measures to intervene in this regard; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether he will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
1. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is aware of water supply challenges being experienced in the Ugu District Municipality (DM) on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The water demands in the Umtamvuna water supply system exceed the available treated water primarily due to a shortage of power to pump and treat sufficient water. Due to constraints in the power grid in the area in KwaZulu-Natal, negotiations are currently underway to secure additional power from the Eastern Cape. The DWS is unaware of sewage issues in the Banners Rest area. This matter will be investigated.
2. The DWS has intervened in the area by participating in a technical task team and establishing a War Room to monitor the implementation of turnaround plans and projects that will improve water supply for the communities of the district. The DWS is very concerned about the impact of water supply interruptions on tourism, business, and the communities and has allocated an additional R150m of the Water Services Infrastructure Grant to the Ugu DM to implement interventions. The WSIG allocation to the Ugu DM is R327,35 million over the medium-term expenditure framework.
The additional R150 million will be utilized to provide operational stability through improved bulk metering, valve refurbishment and telemetry, pipeline replacement and an emergency borehole programme, with over 20 boreholes already pumping clean drinking water to communities. In addition, the DWS is supporting the Ugu DM with the detailed planning for other regional bulk water supply projects including Harding Weza, Umtamvuna and Vulamehlo regional schemes. It is anticipated that this planning will take about 12 months to complete.
In the longer term, to ensure there is sufficient water resources to supply the area, the Minister of Water and Sanitation has issued a Directive to Umngeni-Uthukela Water Board to fund and implement the Cwabeni Dam, an off-channel storage dam with a capacity of approximately 70 million cubic meters to augment the Bhobhoi / Mzimkhulu supply system in Port Shepstone and surrounding areas. The project involves the construction of a dam, as well as associated infrastructure such as spillways, a water treatment plant, and a pipeline to convey water to the existing water supply system. The project is expected to cost R1.8 billion and is planned to be completed by 2033.
In relation to sewer spillages, in other parts of the Ugu DM, the DWS issued a Directive to the municipality on 13 May 2022 following the April 2022 floods. The War Room mentioned above is also aimed at addressing sanitation challenges in the area. Furthermore, each instance of pollution reported to the Department is investigated and communication sent to the municipality.
3. The DWS is working hard to support the Ugu DM to ensure that they fulfil their constitutional responsibility of water service provision. The DWS is confident that the support projects and the capacity support provided by CoGTA has already resulted in improvements in water supply in some areas. Unfortunately, not all interventions will yield immediate improvements, however, the DWS is providing significant financial support and technical oversight in the Ugu District Municipality and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
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