Question NW3868 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation is implementing various support programmes and initiatives to strengthen local government in terms closing the gaps identified on the 2022 Green drop report.

The Department funds infrastructure interventions aimed at supporting Water Services Authorities in addressing the gaps identified in the 2022 Green drop reports. Before a project is approved for Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) funding it has to go through a comprehensive project planning process, culminating in an Implementation Readiness Study (IRS). The Department is currently finalising the RBIG project planning priority list for the 2023/2024 financial year. This prioritisation will be guided by the 2022 Green Drop report, where the most critical systems are prioritised for project planning, which will then ultimately lead to the unlocking of funds and implementation of projects addressing the most critical systems, as identified by the report. This is the biggest value add of the 2022 Green Drop report as it provides guidance for the Department’s infrastructure investment programme, targeting the Departments Grants towards the most critical infrastructure needs. Before the 2022 Green Drop report, the project planning prioritisation was not informed by such quantitative data.

This will address the issues raised around over-capacited and ageing municipal infrastructure. The comprehensive planning process will also address the limited technical capacity concerns, as the IRS process includes an operation and maintenance plan, highlighting both human and financial resource requirements to properly operate and maintain the proposed infrastructure, which is associated to a cost-reflective tariff, which the WSA must sign off and commit to fulfilling, before the project is implemented.

The Department provides technical capacity support to Water Services Authorities to address the gaps identified in the 2022 Green Drop report. DWS has applied for Process Controllers funding proposals for the Water and Wastewater Treatment plants at the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority (EWSETA). Upon approval by EWSETA, an appropriate training will be implemented in order for Process controllers to comply with the required Water and Wastewater regulations.

Furthermore, DWS is collaborating with the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) is currently implementing year two of the Councillor training as guided by the 2021-2026 Five Year Councillor Development Strategy for Water and Sanitation Portfolios Councillors. Additionally, the Department has embarked on a programme of conducting training needs analysis that aims at identifying and closing the skills gap on the Wastewater Treatment Works Operation and Maintenance Teams. The programme was initiated to support the WSAs to establish and strengthen the inhouse Operation and Maintenance Teams to enable them to tackle maintenance problems as and when they occur without relying on outsourcing. The outcomes of the training needs analysis will inform the development of training programme.

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