Question NW2944 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
10 October 2023 - NW2944
Msane, Ms TP to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What long-term plans have been put in place by his department to permanently eradicate the sewerage and stormwater challenges experienced in almost all local municipalities?
Reply:
Although the Water Services Authorities have a duty to maintain a safe environment that is not harmful to people by managing and maintaining the sewerage systems and resolving sewer spillages into the environment, the state of sewerage systems is generally deteriorating, as shown in the 2023 Green Drop Report. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is also compelled by the Constitution to support municipalities and intervene where there is non-compliance with the compulsory national norms and standards.
The DWS has developed the Water Services Improvement Programme to guide, support and strengthen interventions measures that address the decline in water and sanitation services in municipalities. The Water Services Improvement Plan will be implemented within the existing legislative framework and regulations, and it consists of the following interventions amongst others:
a) DWS will issue updated and more comprehensive norms and standards for water and sanitation services in terms of section 9 of the Water Services Act.
b) DWS will publish a National Regulatory Dashboard showing the extent of compliance with national norms and standards for water and sanitation services for all Water Service Authorities, drawing on existing monitoring information, including from the Green Drop reports, National Treasury, and Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs reports. No new additional reporting requirements will be put on municipalities)
c) DWS will develop regional support and intervention plans based on the evidence in the Regulatory Dashboard and standards decision rules, in consultation with provincial governments, municipalities and District Development Model structures.
d) The support and intervention plans will draw on a range of support programmes which will be developed at national level.
e) DWS established the Water Partnerships Office to facilitate partnerships with the private sector in support of water and sanitation services.
The support provided to municipalities does not suspend this Department’s continuous compliance monitoring and enforcement function to deal with those municipalities that ignore their legal obligations in terms of sewer spillages. Stormwater management is the competency of the local government and this Department continues to offer support in strengthening the bylaws to ensure proper stormwater management.
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