Questions and Replies

Reply:

(1) The construction of the Refengkgotso (Deneysville) Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) commenced in 2017/2018 with the Contractor appointed on 9 May 2017, after the Water Use License (WUL), (14/C83M/CFGI/4681) was issued on 7 June 2016. The effluent discharge pipeline was constructed in 2017 and halted in 2017 when it was at 95% towards completion. At the time, the outstanding scope of work included the construction of the discharge end and the connection to the WWTW.

The WUL which expired and for which a new application is in process, is for the discharging of treated effluent into a water course, not for the construction of the WWTW. Currently, no effluent from the Refengkgotso (Deneysville) WWTW is being discharged into either the Vaal Dam or the Vaal River. Furthermore, no treated effluent will be discharged from the Refengkgotso WWTW before a WUL is in place.

(2) An application for the WUL which expired on 7 June 2021, was submitted, and is expected to be finalised by 31 May 2023. It should be noted that a Public Participation Process is not required for an application for a previously authorized WUL. However, a public participation meeting is scheduled to be held at the Deneysville Municipal Offices on 23 February 2023 at 17h00.

(3)(a) A Public Participation Process was convened before the project construction commenced at the Deneysville Primary School in Tank Street on 08 October 2015.

(b) The public participation meeting which was scheduled for 28 November 2022 could not take place due to the Engineer on the project passing on. Furthermore, the contractual arrangements between the Consultant and Metsimaholo had to be resolved first before the project activities could resume.

(c) The meeting was originally planned to be held in Refengkgotso, the residential area where the Deneysville WWTW is located. Refengkgotso is not a neighbouring town, it is a residential area of Deneysville. As indicated above, the meeting has been moved to the municipal offices of Metsimaholo in Deneysville.

(4)(a-b) The Deneysville WWTW will be owned and operated by the Metsimaholo LM once the construction and commissioning of the infrastructure has been concluded. Therefore, the municipality will be responsible for the advertising of posts and the appointment of the required personnel to operate the plant. The municipality has reported that it is already in the process of advertising the relevant posts. The DWS is not aware of further relevant details relating to the nature of posts to be advertised, the requirements and financial implications thereof. It is however estimated that the Deneysville WWTW will be classified as a Class C plant which will require the following operational staff according to Government Gazette No. 36958 of 23 October 2013 (Schedule 2 for Class of Works Rating, Schedule IV for Supervisor and Process Controller):

• 1 x Supervisor - Class V
• 4 x Process Controllers - Class III

(5) The Department has included an operational contract in the project in terms of which the Consultant will be assisting the Metsimaholo LM with the operation of the plant for 12 months after completion of the project.

---00O00---

Reply:

a) The Department of Water and Sanitation issued a directive to Jagersfontein Developments (Pty) Ltd on 12 September 2022, in terms section 20 (4) of the National Water Act (NWA), 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998), relating to control of emergency incidents. Amongst other issues, the directive requested rehabilitation of all the affected areas from the Wolwas dam in the Proses Spruit and from the dam downstream towards the confluence of the Proses Spruit and Kromellenboog, downstream to the confluence of the Kromellenboog and Riet Rivers and into the Kalkfontein Dam.

Jagersfontein Developments (JD) has since submitted the incident and rehabilitation plans to DWS which were evaluated and sent back for corrections and improvements in October 2022. The rehabilitation action plan was resubmitted to DWS in December 2022 and DWS has provisionally accepted the plan with the view that the updated plan will be submitted after the appointment of additional specialists as stated in the response submitted in December 2022 by JD. The DWS is continuing to monitor progress regarding the implementation of the rehabilitation plan which has already commenced.

Further to that, the department has opened a criminal case with the Jagersfontein South African Police Services (SAPS) against the owners of Jagersfontein Mine, Jagersfontein Development, for possible contraventions of Section 151(1) (f) & (i) read with Section 1 and 151(2) of the NWA. The DWS is also in the process of appointing a panel of tailings experts to carry out an independent forensic investigation on the causes of failure of the tailings storage facility (TSF). The final report of the forensic investigation will be made available to Parliament.

b) The Department issued a Dam Safety directive in terms of section 118 of the NWA, compelling Jagersfontein Development (JD) to decant Compartment 2 which still had fine tailings to prevent a secondary failure of the TSF. In addition, JD was directed to appoint an Approved Professional Person (APP) to oversee and advise the mine on the safety and operations, including but not limited to decanting Compartment 2 of the TSF at an appropriate rate to safeguard the risk of failure of the said compartment. The APP appointment was approved by the department’s Dam Safety Office (DSO). The DWS is not able to respond on the query regarding the rebuilding of the houses. We are requesting the Honourable Member to redirect this question to the Department of Human Settlements.

---00O00---

Reply:

(a) Fifteen (15) of the remaining 77 Water Services Authorities (WSAs) have submitted action plans since June 2022.

(b) The following fifteen (15) WSAs have submitted action plans:

• O R Tambo DM
• Sunday River Valley LM
• Kouga LM
• Beaufort West LM
• Kannaland LM
• Matzikama LM
• Prince Albert LM
• Swellendam LM
• Siyacuma LM
• Tsantsabane LM
• Merafong LM
• Lesedi LM
• Rand West LM
• Pixley Ka Seme LM
• Ngaka Modiri Molema DM

Four (4) additional WSA have requested support for the development of the action plan as indicated below:

• Msukaligwa LM
• Thaba Chweu LM
• Emalahleni LM
• Chris Hani DM

The Department is implementing the Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP) to strengthen its support and intervention at municipal level based on actual data or most available data, the aim of the programme is to ensure that support and intervention at municipal level is proactive, consistent, and systematic. There has also been concerted effort with SALGA and MISA to assist remaining municipalities with the development and implementation of the action plans.

---00O00---

Reply:

a)(i) The allocated budget for royalties for the period 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2022 is R 1 330 million.

(ii) Article 4 of the Treaty describes the purpose as follows: “The Project shall be to enhance the use of water of the Senqu/Orange River by storing, regulating, diverting and controlling the flow of the Senqu/Orange River and its affluents in order to effect the delivery of specified quantities of water to the Designated Outlet Point in the Republic of South Africa and by utilizing such delivery system to generate hydro-electric power in the Kingdom of Lesotho.” The water is transferred into the Vaal River system to mainly supply water users in Gauteng.

a) The implementation, operations and commitments to deliver water to South Africa from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) are governed by the Treaty of 1986 and its Protocols and the Phase II Agreement of 2011. The purpose of the Treaty and Agreement is to provide the legal basis for the implementation of Phases I and II of the LHWP as well as for the operation and maintenance of infrastructure.

i) There is no date by when the obligations of the Treaty in respect of water deliveries to South Africa will lapse.

ii) There are extensive programs in place as part of Phases I and II, including:

• Water supply for affected communities
• Sanitation programs for affected communities.
• Releases of water from the LHWP tunnel system for purposes of augmenting the Lesotho Lowlands Water Scheme that delivers water to Maseru and urban areas in the lowlands of Lesotho.

---00O00---

Reply:

a) The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) undertakes planning studies over different planning horizons, to develop interventions that are implemented to ensure water security for the country. These interventions comprise of enablers like governance, financing, human capacity building as well as science and innovation which facilitate implementation of water projects at National, Provincial and District and Local Municipality level.

b) The interventions implemented to ensure water security are contained in the National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS), through which the minister gives effect to the National Water Act, as well as the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NWSMP). Additional interventions include the following:

• Planning and implementing a range of major projects to augment national bulk water resource infrastructure and
• Establishing the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) to finance and implement the large-scale investments in national water resource infrastructure that are required to ensure that South Africa has sufficient bulk water supply now and in future.
• The department is prioritising increased but sustainable use of groundwater
• The department is also exploring seawater desalination.
• Strengthening the department’s its role in supporting and intervening in municipalities where water and sanitation services are failing, in conjunction with provinces, COGTA, National Treasury and SALGA.
• The Department is updating the National and sectoral Water Conservation and Water Demand Management strategies. This is to ensure effective performance of WCWDM practices by the sector.
• The DWS has also developed the Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP) to strengthen its support and intervention at municipal level based on actual data or most available data. The aim of the programme is for the Department to ensure that support and intervention at municipal level is proactive, consistent, and systematic.
• In line with the WSIP, the department has further established the Water Partnership Office (WPO) within the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). The WPO has developed five standardized National Programmes for private sector participation in municipal water and sanitation services,
• One of the five National Programmes within the WPO is Non- Revenue Water (NRW) programme aimed at implementing the Water Conservation and Water Demand Management and cost recovery programme focusing on reducing losses, reducing over consumption, and improving cost recovery

The various studies that inform the NWRS are available on the DWS website, at http://www6.dwa.gov.za/iwrp/projects.aspx, and the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NW&SMP) is available at http://www.dwa.gov.za.

c) (i-ii) All provinces are affected by the growing demand for water due to:

• Demand outstripping supply due to extensive growth of urban settlements
• Extension of services to previously serviced rural settlements
• Poor maintenance of ageing infrastructure - at a municipal level - that has also reached the end of its lifespan
• Non-revenue water is currently sitting at 45.1% (31,9 % is losses through physical leakages)
• The management of water treatment plants adds to the crisis as many of the municipal treatment plants are operating below average standards and a third are critical based on the Blue Drop reports.
• Shortage of bulk water (owing to droughts, delayed planning for and delivery of bulk water infrastructure such as dams and associated infrastructure)

---00O00---

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation is funding various bulk water supply projects which benefit rural househols as well as persons with disabilities in KwaZulu-Natal. The following are the projects which are being implemented in the various municipal areas:

Project name	Municipality	Estimated project cost	No. of beneficiaries	Overall progress
Nongoma BWS	Zululand DM	R822 m	153 236	100%
Greytown BWS	uMzinyathi DM	R523.4 m	27 824	92%
Driefontein BWS	uThukela DM	R536.2 m	204 306	99%
Ngcebo BWS	iLembe DM	R1 096.7 m	585 900	100%
Greater Bulwer BWS	Harry Gwala DM	R339.6 m	113 256	80%
Maphumulo BWS	iLembe DM	R649.9 m	112 320	76%
Mandlakazi BWS Phases 5&6	Zululand DM	R2 988.0 m	279 297	61%
Middledrift BWS	King Cetshwayo DM	R290.9 m	177 576	54%
Greater Mthonjaneni BWS	King Cetshwayo DM	R2 025.5 m	99 612	65%
Greater Mpofana BWS	UMgungundlovu DM	R954.9 m	181 590	87%
uMshwathi BWS	uMgungundlovu DM & iLembe DM	R2 308.7 m	362 682	50%

Reply:

a)  The Department is aware of the sewage challenges experience by Joe Gqabi District Municipality. There have been long standing issues at the Burgersdorp sewage system and Steynsburg Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW). The status regarding progress made is as follows:

• Contractors are currently at both sites
• Progress made at the Burgersdorp WWTW is at 95%
• Progress made with the Steynsburg sewage system is at 80%.

b) (i) Site of pollution	(ii) (aa) steps taken by department to assist through repairs to the infrastructure	(ii) (bb) rehabilitation of the specified natural water sources
Burgersdorp - pollution of the Stormberg Spruit	A directive had been issued and funding support was received from Municipal Infrastructure Grant and funding from Joe Gqabi DM Four (4) sewage pumpstations repaired as follows: repairs completed on 2 pumpstations repairs ongoing on 2 pumpstations and are in final stages, planned for completion at end November 2022.	Rehabilitation included removal of any paper and solids for burial and application of chloride of lime to disinfect affected areas
Steynsburg Sewage Ponds in the catchment of Teebus stream	Funding support from Water Service Infrastructure Grant Project is about 80% complete with all work due to be completed by end February 2023.	Rehabilitation includes removal of papers, disinfection with chloride of lime and natural attenuation
Sterkspruit Activate Sludge Works	Sterkspruit Activate Sludge Works have been repaired and the works are functioning normally, thus removing the overload on the Sterkspruit Pond System	Overflow from the Sterkspruit sewage ponds had impacted the Sterkspruit Stream, but has since been resolved

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  The current backlog in the provision of water in the rural areas across the Republic are as follows:

• Out of a total of 19,368,622 households in South Africa 6 396 431 households are classified as rural households
• Out of 6 396 431 rural households 4 760 182 (86%) have access the RDP level of service for water
• Out of 6 396 431 rural households, only 3 157 091 (61%) have access to a reliable supply of water

b) A funding gap of R33 billion must be closed each year for the next 10 years, through improved revenue generation and reduced costs based on a study undertaken through the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NWSMP). The department has embarked on the development of a Five-Year Reliable Water and Sanitation Services Delivery Implementation Plans that will, after completion, produce a pipeline of projects for each WSA with the associated costing. National grant funding programmes will be aligned with these needs.

---00O00---

Reply:

1. Part 9 of the National Water Act, Act 36 of 1998 addresses the review and renewal of licenses, and the amendment and substitution of conditions of licenses. Water treatment package plants, either for drinking water treatment or for wastewater treatment, usually have a design capacity range of between 1-2ML/day. This capacity range is small and has a low impact compared to the conventional larger water treatment plants. Lower-risk water uses are generally authorized through Part 6: Section 39 (General Authorization) of the National Water Act, depending on the sensitivity of the catchment. Licenses are issued for larger treatment plants. The table below provides a summary of regulatory requirements for wastewater treatment and drinking water treatment package plants.

Legal requirements	Wastewater Treatment Package plants	Drinking Water Treatment Package Plants
Water use authorization required	General Authorization for wastewater discharge. Most privately owned plants discharge into the municipal sewer systems and are regulated through Municipal by-laws.	General Authorization for abstraction Storage (where applicable)
Common design Capacity	1-2Ml/day	1-2ML/day
Monitoring for compliance	Part of Green Drop	Part of Blue Drop
Mandate	DWS and Water Services Authorities	DWS and Local government as Water Services Authorities

Measures taken by the Department to ensure the compliance of water treatment package plants between 2018 and 2022 include:

1. The revival of the Green and Blue Drop certification programs
2. Monitoring action plans for non-compliant systems
3. Enforcement actions
4. Review of the norms and standards for drinking water
5. Confirmation of general authorizations for new plants
6. As part of the license conditions, package plants are mandated to submit to the DWS, monthly water quality analysis which should be in line with the applicable limits for each parameter analysed.

2. (a) The Water Services Act, Act 08 of 1997 does not make provisions for penalties. However, the DWS carries out audits to monitor compliance and implements enforcement actions to rectify contraventions related to non-compliance to the conditions of authorizations.

(b) The Department is monitoring compliance of package plants as provided for by legislation. The department undertakes audits as part of regular monitoring activities and where there is non-compliance, issues Notices or Directives to the owners of the package plant. In some cases, investigations are triggered by reports of suspected cases of non-compliance which are followed up by the department. Where administrative enforcement actions are implemented, the department monitors to ensure full compliance with the conditions of authorisations.

The table below indicates instances where the Department has undertaken compliance monitoring audits and investigations triggered by complaints received and the subsequent administrative actions to address non-compliances.

Table 2: Compliance monitoring audits, inspections conducted, and enforcement actions taken

Activities and administrative action taken	Activities and administrative action taken	Activities and administrative action taken	Activities and administrative action taken	Activities and administrative action taken
2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
3x audits and 1x inspection undertaken in Eastern Cape i.e. Mzimvubu / Tsitsikamma	4x audits and 1x inspection undertaken in Eastern Cape i.e. Mzimvubu / Tsitsikamma	1x inspection and 2x audits undertaken in Eastern Cape i.e. Mzimvubu / Tsitsikamma	2x inspections and 1x audit undertaken in Eastern Cape i.e. Mzimvubu / Tsitsikamma	2x inspections undertaken in Eastern Cape i.e. Mzimvubu / Tsitsikamma
2x Notices issued	3x Notices issued	2x Notices issued	3x Notices issued	2x Notices issued
-	3x Directives issued	1x Directive issued	-	-
Complaints received and investigated
1x complaint received from Limpopo regional office (i.e. Limpopo WMA)	2x complaints received from North- West and KwaZulu Natal regional office (i.e. Pongola/Mtamvuna and Limpopo WMA)	3x complaints received from North-West and Limpopo regional office (i.e. Limpopo WMA)	-	-
1x Investigation undertaken	2x investigations undertaken	3x investigations undertaken	-	-
1x Notice issued	Both cases were recommended for administrative action	3x Directives were issued	-	-

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) conducted the Green Drop assessment during 2021/22 which culminated in the release of the National Green Drop Report 2022. In KZN, 14 Water Services Authorities (WSAs) and 147 wastewater systems were audited with the following results

• 47 of the wastewater systems in KwaZulu Natal were found not to be measuring their wastewater inflows
• 7 wastewater systems were overloaded
• 76 wastewater systems received Green Drop Score of above 50% (meaning what?)
• 20 wastewater systems were found to be at critical state
• 3 wastewater systems received Green Drop certification (scored minimum of 90%).

To mitigate the risk, the DWS has implemented several interventions including the issuance of non-compliance letters, notices, and directives to minimize the pollution impacts on the water resources. In addition, corrective action plans and green drop improvement plan templates have been issued to the WSAs to ensure that their Councils commit funds to address the gaps identified in the assessments. The DWS is assisting the WSAs to compile corrective action plans and improvement plans which will need to be implemented within predetermined timeframe and monitored by the department.

The department has also implemented measures to address pollution of water resources in KwaZulu-Natal. These include:

1. Undertaking routine inspections of sewerage infrastructure (wastewater treatment works, pumpstations and pipelines).
2. The DWS also follows up on pollution issues reported by the public.
3. In cases where pollution to water resources is observed, administrative processes are taken against the non-compliant municipalities in the form of Non-compliance Notices and/or Directives
4. The Department has also established Water Resource Protection Technical Committee Meetings to address the issues of pollution in different districts

Following the floods in April 2022, the DWS has also implemented the following interventions to support affected municipalities in KZN:

1. Availed the team of Engineers and Scientists to assist with the assessments of the damage to the water and sanitation infrastructure
2. Officials of the department participate in WAR Room meetings where repairs of infrastructure and progress thereof are discussed
3. Three (3) Directives were issued, on 13 May 2022, to the municipalities which were severely affected, namely: eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, ILembe District Municipality (DM) and Ugu DM
4. Established the WAR Room through the Minister to address issues of water provisioning and sanitation, as well as to discuss challenges that the municipalities might be facing such as funding, human resources, amongst others

(2) The DWS assisted the Ethekwini, Ugu and Ilembe District Municipalities by reallocating R65 million funding to support immediate relief measures which included provision water tankers for 3 months. The DWS also conducted assessments of the damaged infrastructure and submitted a funding application for disaster relief funding to the National Disaster Management Centre. Damaged infrastructure can also be repaired through reprioritising of the DWS Water and Sanitation Infrastructure Grant (WSIG).

---00O00---

Reply:

The details for the staff employed in offices of the Minister and Deputy Ministers are indicted in the table below:

(i) Office of the Minister (9 officials)

JOB TITLE	ANNUAL REMUNERATION PACKAGE
2 x Ministerial Advisors SL 15 and 16	R1 791 978 all-inclusive package R2 330 121 all-inclusive package
1 x Chief of Staff SL 14	R1 308 051 all-inclusive package
1 x Private and Appointment Secretary SL 13	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Media Liaison Officer SL 13	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Parliamentary and Cabinet Support SL 13	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Community Outreach Officer SL 11	R766 584 all-inclusive package
1 x Assistant Appointment and Admin Secretary SL9	R393 711 per annum
1 x Receptionist SL 5	R269 214 per annum
2 x Household Aide SL3	R128 166 per annum R128 166 per annum

(ii) Office of Deputy Minister (9 officials)

JOB TITLE	ANNUAL REMUNERATION PACKAGE
1 x Head of Office SL 13	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Private and Appointment Secretary SL 12	R1 070 169 all-inclusive package
1 x Technical Specialist SL13 (Previous Dispensation)	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Parliamentary and Cabinet Support SL 11	R766 584 all-inclusive package
1 x Community Outreach Officer SL 11	R766 584 all-inclusive package
1 x Driver/Messenger SL 4	R181 599 per annum
1 x Receptionist SL 5	R285 735 per annum
2 x Household Aide SL 3	R128 166 per annum R128 166 per annum
1x Registry Clerk SL 5 (Previous Dispensation)	R269 214 per annum

(iii) Office of Deputy Minister (8 officials)

JOB TITLE	ANNUAL REMUNERATION PACKAGE
1 x Head of Office SL 13	R1 105 383 all-inclusive
1 x Technical Specialist SL 13 (Previous dispensation0	R1 105 383 all-inclusive package
1 x Private and Appointment Secretary SL 12	R908 502 all-inclusive package
1 x Community Outreach Officer SL 11	R766 584 all-inclusive package
1 x Driver/Messenger SL 4	R181 599 per annum
1 x Food Services Aide SL2	R128 166 per annum
1 x Receptionist SL5	R269 214 per annum
2 x Household Aide SL3	R128 166 per annum R128 166 per annum
1x Registry Clerk SL 5 (Previous Dispensation)	R269 214 per annum

---00O00---

Reply:

 

 

The Summit was intended to engage various stakeholders together to form partnerships and identify lasting solutions to the water and sanitation problems facing the country. Based on the outcomes of the summit, the department is working together with SALGA, NT and COGTA, DWS will lead the development and implementation of a range of inter-related and coordinated support measures and interventions. Broadly, interventions that have been identified and are being implemented include the following:

• 1. Strengthening and extending the roles, responsibilities, and capacity of water boards so that they are able to provide water and sanitation services in instances where municipalities are failing to provide the services
  2. Reviewing the geographical boundaries of the water boards to make them more sustainable, this already started with the disestablishment of Sedibeng Water
  3. Increasing involvement of private sector financing and management in municipal water and sanitation services through public-private partnerships
  4. Strengthening regulatory interventions based upon the results of monitoring mechanisms such as Blue Drop, Green Drop and No Drop
  5. Strengthening the National Norms and Standards (Water Services Act) and put in place a framework to guide the provision of sanitation services
  6. Introducing longer term interventions through WISP and the DDM programmes, through for example, taking over the management of wastewater treatment works from municipalities for a longer prescribed period where there is continued non-compliance with norms and standards
  7. More effectively link the allocation of municipal water and sanitation grants to enable support and interventions
  8. Use DWS internal construction capacity for rapid deployment to address urgent intervention needs
  9. Put in place appropriate financing frameworks and mechanisms for support and interventions
  10. Improve coordination and linkages of the interventions made in terms of sections of various legislation

Some of these measures will start to have an impact on municipal water and sanitation services in the short term (within 3 months) and others will yield results in the medium term.

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  Many of the provinces across the country have been impacted by a combination of factors including:

• Additional demand and water use owing to population growth and extension of services to previously unserved rural communities
• Prolonged droughts in certain parts of the country
• Shortage of bulk water (owing to droughts, delayed planning for and delivery of bulk water infrastructure such as dams and associated infrastructure)
• Challenges with municipal water service delivery
• Poor maintenance of municipal infrastructure that results in frequent pipe bursts and unreliable supply of water

To prevent more widespread water interruptions across the country, municipalities have resorted to water restrictions or even scheduled water interruptions to ensure that communities are able to access some water for a few hours.

b) The main challenges impacting reliability of water supply are due to:

• Demand outstripping supply due to extensive growth of urban settlements
• Extension of services to previously unserviced rural settlements
• Poor maintenance of ageing infrastructure - at a municipal level - that has also reached the end of its lifespan
• Non-revenue water is currently at 45.1% (31,9 % refers to losses through physical leakages)
• The management of water treatment plants adds to the crisis as half of our treatment plants are operating below average standards and fully a third are critical based on the Blue Drop reports
• Ongoing load shedding by ESKOM during the last year has also intensified the situation by impeding the ability of Water Boards and municipalities to pump water into reservoirs. This resulted in water levels in the reservoirs being too low to gravity-feed water to high-lying areas across the country.

To address the challenges outlined above, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is in the process of:

• Planning and implementing a range of major projects to augment national bulk water resource infrastructure and
• Establishing the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) to finance and implement the large-scale investments in national water resource infrastructure that are required to ensure that South Africa has sufficient bulk water supply now and in future.
• Strengthening its role in supporting and intervening in municipalities where water and sanitation services are failing, in conjunction with provinces, COGTA, National Treasury and SALGA.
• The DWS has also developed the Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP) to strengthen its support and intervention at municipal level based on actual data or most available data. The aim of the programme is for the Department to ensure that support and intervention at municipal level is proactive, consistent, and systematic.
• In line with the WSIP, the Department has further established the Water Partnership Office (WPO) within the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). The WPO has developed five standardized National Programmes for private sector participation in municipal water and sanitation services, to make it easier, quicker, and cheaper for municipalities to enter into partnerships, without having to ‘reinvent the wheel’ for each partnership. One of the five National Programmes within the WPO is Non- Revenue Water (NRW) programme aimed at implementing the Water Conservation and Water Demand Management and cost recovery programme focusing on reducing losses, reducing over consumption, and improving cost recovery

---00O00---

Reply:

The sanitation project in the Sol-Plaatje Local Municipality, Ward 17 is being implemented in Phases. Phase 1 which provided 368 toilets was completed in September 2022. The issues listed above were primarily due to theft of material. In addition, the project was also affected by poor workmanship by the contractor compounded by labour unrest during implementation. The municipality is in the process of developing a business plan for funding of further phases.

---00O00---

Reply:

The Xikukwane village receives water from Giyani Water Treatment Works (WTW) through pipeline F1. The design capacity of the Giyani WTW is 30Ml/d.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has two (2) projects funded under Regional Bulk Infratructure Grant (RBIG), which are currently under construction in the Greater Giyani Local Municipaty (LM), and the Xikukwane village is one of the beneficiaries. The projects are implemented to address bulk water challenges in the Greater Giyani LM. Lepelle Northern Water was appointed as the Implementing Agent for both projecs which are comprised of the Nandon-Nsami pipeline project; and the Giyani Water Services project.

The background and progress of the projects is indicated below:

The need for the transfer of water from the Nandoni Dam to Giyani arose because of the critical shortage of water in Giyani due to low water levels in the Middle Letaba and Nsami Dams cause by recurring drought.

The department’s intervention is meant to accelerate water services provision in the distressed area of Mopani DM by conveying bulk water from Nandoni Dam to Nsami Water Treatment Works.

Overall progress at end of (November?) 2022 is estimated to be 62,78% with a projected completion date of 22 June 2023.

The Giyani Water Services projects are intended to accelerate water services provision to 55 villages in Giyani and include:

• Overall refurbishment and upgrade of Giyani WTW.
• The Giyani reticulation and household connection project. The envisaged completion date is October 2023

The two projects will be implemented by the Mopani DM once procurement processes are completed.

 

---00O00---

Reply:

The Budeli village is one of the five villages that the residents were affected by the construction of the Nandoni dam. A budget of R 62milllion has been set aside to repair the defects of all the five villages for the 2022/2023 financial year and the project is set to be completed by March 2023.

There were 100 houses that were found to have defects at the Budeli Village. Progress made by the Department is indicated below:

• Sixty-six (66) houses have been repaired
• One (1) house re-built due to the extent of the defects
• Repairs to the remaining thirty-three (33) houses will be completed by 15 December 2022.

---00O00---

Reply:

Water supply challenges in Nkowankowa are a result of tampering with valves on the outlet of the command reservoir and the bypass line to facilitate illegal connections. This caused low pressure on the bulk pipeline resulting in supply interruptions in some areas of Nkowankowa as water could not reach the furthest points of distribution.

The Mopani District Municipality together with the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality have identified all the valves that needed to be repaired to supply water at Nkowankowa Township and Dan village.

With the assistance of Mokgolobotho Cooperation, which is a community-led structure, all unauthorized connections to the rising main were identified and removed. Water supply to Mokgolobotho settlement has since been restored. Leakages caused by unauthorised connection were identified and repaired.

---00O00---

Reply:

1 a) Severe load shedding affects the ability of Water Boards and Water Service Authorities (WSAs) to pump water into their reservoirs. This resulted in the water levels in the reservoirs being too low to gravity-feed water to high-lying areas. As a result, several high-lying areas have been without water for prolonged periods.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has not quantified the amount of production downtime across the country. However, most WSAs have a contingency plan to ensure continuity of water supply. Water Boards and WSAs experienced several electrical and mechanical failures, which also contributed to the difficulty in filling the reservoirs. Some of these failures may have been a result of damage to equipment caused by the frequent load shedding.

Using the Eskom schedule of loading shedding, Treatment Plants can be closed in phases to prevent sudden shutdown of processes at the start of loadshedding that damage infrastructure. It is also possible to store additional treated water in preparation to cater for downtime at the plant. The operating philosophy is to maintain the reservoir levels between 60-80%. This targeted range will enable the system to be resilient and respond to any challenges.

1 b) All treatment plants, rely on electricity in one way or another, and where affordable, WSAs are encouraged to ensure continuous water provision through additional storage such as reservoirs and static tanks or alternative energy supply to cater for loadshedding.

2 The Water Boards, as water service providers to various WSAs, have taken different approaches to manage the impact of ESKOM’s loadshedding on their ability to provide reliable bulk water supply services to users, including:

• Engaging with the provincial government leadership and ESKOM to negotiate and facilitate for exemption on water infrastructure from frequent load-shedding.
• Filing applications with ESKOM for exemption in terms of Eskom Regulation NRS048-9. Some applications for exemption have been successful while some have not been due to technical reasons advanced by ESKOM and some are still waiting for outcomes to the applications.
• Water Boards such as Bloem Water, Rand Water, Umngeni Water, Lepelle Water and Magalies Water are operating water infrastructure that is exempt from loadshedding and are mostly able to continue with operations during loadshedding.

• Entities such as Bloem Water, Rand Water, Umngeni Water, Lepelle Water and Magalies Water are operating water infrastructure that is exempt from loadshedding and are mostly able to continue with operations.
• Where affordable, some of the entities have procured back-up generators to continue with operations even when there is loadshedding.

Some municipalities have been able to exempt some of their water and sanitation facilities from load shedding, but this is often not possible because it would require exempting whole areas from load shedding, which in turn would result in Eskom’s load shedding requirements not being met.

---00O00---

Reply:

Due to the current high-water demand exacerbated by the ongoing power outages, the Rustenburg Local Municipality (LM) is implementing water demand management in the greater Boitekong areas including the new stands (Extention 13). According to the Rustenburg LM, the water restrictions schedules have been communicated with relevant Ward Councillors and the affected residents.

In the medium to long term, funds have been made available through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) administered by Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) for the upgrade of Bospoort Water Treatment Works from the 12ML/d to 24ML/d. I have been advised that the outstanding mechanical and electrical works are envisaged to be completed by the end of June 2023. This will ensure adequate water provision to the Boitekong area.

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  The Department acknowledges the deterioration of water and sanitation services at municipal level. The decline includes a growing trend on water losses and water use inefficiencies. In response to the decline, and along with the requirement by AGSA to develop an action plan, the Department is putting in place a Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP) to strengthen its support and intervention at municipal level based on actual data or most available data. The aim of the programme is for the Department to ensure that support and intervention at municipal level is proactive, consistent, and systematic as opposed to current ad-hoc approach. In line with the WSIP, the Department has further established the Water Partnership Office (WPO) within the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). The WPO has developed five standardized National Programmes for private sector participation in municipal water and sanitation services, to make it easier, quicker, and cheaper for municipalities to enter into partnerships, without having to ‘reinvent the wheel’ for each partnership. One of the five National Programmes within the WPO is Non- Revenue Water (NRW) programme aimed at implementing the Water Conservation and Water Demand Management and cost recovery programme focusing on reducing losses, reducing over consumption, and improving cost recovery

b) A part of the programme is being implemented; the intention is to roll it out Nationally in the next Financial Year (2023/24 FY)

---00O00---

Reply:

Due to the current high water demand exacerbated by the ongoing power outages, the Rustenburg Local Municipality (LM) is implementing water demand management in the greater Boitekong areas including the new stands (Extention 13). According to the Rustenburg LM, the water restrictions schedules have been communicated with relevant Ward Councillors and the affected residents.

In the medium to long term, funds have been made available through Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) administered by Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) for the upgrade of Bospoort Water Treatment Works from the 12ML/d to 24ML/d. I have been advised that the outstanding mechanical and electrical works is envisaged to be completed by the end of June 2023. This will ensure adequate water provision to the Boitekong area.

---00O00---

Reply:

The extension 8 housing development in Ward 40 was funded by the erstwhile Department of Housing in 2005. Two hundred (200) houses were constructed and handed over to beneficiaries. Whereas there was a sewer pipeline network in the areas at the time of construction, some of the houses were not connected to the sewer pipe network. According to the Municipality, the area is fully equipped with a sewerage conveyances system, the only challenge that exists is to connect the few houses to the sewer line.

The Department of Water and Sanitation allocated R70 million from the Water Services Infrastructure Grant for 2022/23 to the Rustenburg Local Municipality. The municipality indicated that it has prioritised the refurbishment of the Boitekong sewer pump station and the outfall sewer. The current budget allocation for WSIG is fully committed, however, the municipality is in the process of reprioritising the Municipal Infrastructure Grant to address the Boitekong sanitation backlog.

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  To date, two (2) Boards for Water Boards, have been dissolved. The Board for Amatola Water was dissolved in March 2022 and the Interim Board of Sedibeng Water was automatically dissolved as a result of the disestablishment of Sedibeng Water in July 2022.

b) The process of appointing the new board for Amatola Water has commenced, and it should be finalised before the end of the current financial year.

---00O00---

Reply:

1. The main purpose of the Operation Vulindlela is to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms and support economic recovery, as such the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is implementing following projects under Operation Vulindela:

• Revival of the Green Drop, Blue Drop and No Drop Assessment Programme: The asessment programmes are aimed at improving the wastewater quality, water supply quality and water use efficiency in all the 144 Water Service Authorities. The Department published the Green Drop report in March 2022 and will publish the Blue and No Drop programme in next financial year.
• Improvement of Water Use Authorisation: The Department is revising the water use authorisation process with the intention being able to process all water use applications within 90 days to ensure economic development and access to water.

• Independent Economic Regulator: The Minister has appointed the Regulator Commission for the period of 3 years. The aim of an independent economic regulator to regulate tariffs, standards, and performance in the water services sector.

2. (a)The department is funding refurbishment of infrastructure through its Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) programme. Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) facilitates achievement of targets for access to bulk water and sanitation through successful execution and implementation of bulk projects of regional significance. The main purpose of this grant amongst others is to:

• To develop new, refurbish, upgrade and replace ageing bulk water and sanitation infrastructure of regional significance that connects water resources to infrastructure serving extensive areas across municipal boundaries or large regional bulk infrastructure serving numerous communities over a large area within a municipality

• To implement bulk infrastructure with a potential of addressing Water Conservation and Water Demand Management (WC/WDM) projects or facilitate and contribute to the implementation of local WC/WDM projects that will directly impact on bulk infrastructure requirements. This is achieved through project planning, where diversification of water resources is encouraged as part of calculating the Water Balance to ensure sustainability of supply

(b)The Department undertakes planning studies over different planning horizons, to derive interventions that are implemented to ensure water security for the entire country. These interventions cover the enablers like governance, financing, human capacity building and science and innovation which facilitate implementation of water projects at National, Provincial and District and Local Municipality level. The interventions implemented for our water security are contained in the National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS), the instrument by which the Minister gives effect to the National Water Act, as well as the master plans that emanate from the NWRS. The various studies informing the NWRS are available on the DWS website, at http://www6.dwa.gov.za/iwrp/projects.aspx and the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NW&SMP) is available at http://www.dwa.gov.za

The DWS also monitors the capacity of municipalities to deliver water and sanitation through the Municipal Strategic Self-Assessment (MuSSA); a web-based system that enables municipalities to conduct their self-assessment on critical aspects service delivery performance. The outcomes of the assessment position the Department and other sector role players to provide targeted support to local government through various support and intervention programmes aimed at improving services delivery, governance and business health. Priority areas are identified and addressed through the development of a Municipal Priority Action Plan (MPAP).

Lastly, Five-Year Reliability Water and Sanitation Plans will soon be rolled out in all forty-four (44) District Municipalities. The plans are meant to:

• Ensure sustainable and reliable water services with the service-standard yardstick that has a 100% compliance to functionality, water security and effective governance to maintain appropriate levels of service delivery
• Conduct primary situational assessments of the water services and infrastructure supply conditions and classify each situation into a reliability category. The solution options are then integrated to proposed projects, specifically integrating all funding programmes to alleviate new infrastructure needs and achieve reliability of water services.

Recently the Department has developed the Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP). The aim of WSIP is to guide Department in initiating and leading the national support and regulatory interventions to reverse the decline in the provision of water and sanitation services in all municipalities. The programme consists of the following four key elements:

• In terms of the Water Services Act, DWS will issue updated and more comprehensive norms and standards for water and sanitation services.
• DWS will publish a National Regulatory Dashboard showing the extent of compliance with national norms and standards for water services for all Water Service Authorities, drawing on existing monitoring information, including from the Drop reports, NT, and COGTA reports (no new additional reporting requirements will be put on municipalities).
• DWS will develop rolling regional support and intervention plans based on the evidence in the Regulatory Dashboard, managed by its regional offices, in consultation with provincial governments, municipalities and DDM structures.
• The support and intervention plans will draw on a range of support programmes which will be developed at national level.

---00O00---

Reply:

1a)  Groundwater is the main source of water for domestic supply in the region. The settlements of Koingnaas, Hondeklip Bay and Samson Bak derive water from the Somnaas Noup aquifer located about 20 km north of Koingnaas. Two boreholes, BH 12 and BH 14, are currently in use. A third borehole, BH15 adjacent to BH 12, is equipped and used as a standby borehole.

b) the mining companies use water from the Somnaas-Noup aquifer in the specified municipality.

(2) West coast Resources Pty Ltd: Namaqualand Mine applied for a water use licence which was issued on 23 June 2017. Conditions of the licence includes the following:

• Monitoring: The licensee should establish ground water network monitoring within 1 year from the date of issuance of licence.
• Water Conservation and Water Demand management (WC/WDM): The licensee shall develop WC/WDM and submit to Provincial Head or responsible authority, which amongst other should quantify the water use efficiency of the activity.
• The WC/WDM shall be updated annually and submitted to Provincial Head or responsible authority.
• The licensee shall provide any water user whose water supply is impacted by use with potable water

(3) Please refer to the response above.

(4) It is a prerequisite for any mining licence holder to conduct an environmental impact study to ensure what the effect of mining will be on the water resources. A report on geohydrological impact assessment for West Coast Resources Diamond mining operations along the west coast around Koingnaas, Northern Cape province: was concluded in 2016 with a Ref number: 2016/ENV008, dated July 2016, amongst others the report made the following reference “Groundwater represents the main source of water for domestic supply in the region. The settlements of Koingnaas, Hondeklip Bay and Samson Bak derive water from the Somnaas Noup aquifer located about 20 km north of Koingnaas. Two boreholes, BH 12 and BH 14, are currently in use. A third borehole, BH15 adjacent to BH 12, is equipped and used as a standby borehole”.

a-b) For the town of Koingnaas, the report made the following reference:

• Available water quality data indicate that the entire area proposed for mining is characterised by highly saline groundwater with electrical conductivity of above 1000 mS/m. This is supported by the fact that there are no water supply boreholes around, and south of Koingnaas. Potable groundwater is currently sourced from the Somnaas Noup aquifer located about 20 kilometres north of Koingnaas.

(5) A copy of the licence is attached as Annexure A.

Reply:

Amathole District Municipality (ADM) is receiving the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG), Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) and the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) to implement water services infrastructure development projects within their area of jurisdiction for accessibility of water and sanitation services and to reduce backlogs.

RBIG and WSIG are administered by the Department of Water and Sanitation and MIG is administered by the Department of Cooperative Governance.

In terms of section 227 of the Constitution, local government is entitled to an equitable share of national revenue to enable it to provide basic services and perform its allocated functions. The local government equitable share is an unconditional transfer that supplements the revenue that municipalities can raise themselves (including revenue raised through property rates and service charges). The equitable share provides funding for municipalities to deliver free basic services indigents and subsidises the cost of administration and other core services for those municipalities with the least potential to cover these costs from their own revenues.

The operations and maintenance of water services infrastructure is the responsibility of the Municipalities and should be funded by the equitable share and the revenue that the Municipalities can raise.

Recent challenges across this municipality have been as a result of labour issues which were resolved about two weeks ago. This we believe this will ensure full operations of the systems across the district.

During the 2021/22 financial year the DWS allocated a total of R 172,2 million funding through RBIG and WSIG to the ADM, as follows:

Grant	Allocation R’ 000	Revised allocation	Expenditure R’ 000	Expenditure %	Balance R’ 000
WSIG 5B	75 000	75 000	20 147	27	54 853
RBIG 6B	153 715	97 162	88 503	91	8 660
Total	228 715	172 200	108 650	63%	63 513

ADM applied to National Treasury for a rollover of the unspent WSIG allocation to the amount of R49,5 million. National Treasury did not approve the rollover application as the Municipality did not meet the set criteria in terms of section 21(2) of the 2021 Division of Revenue Amendment Act, (Act No. 17 of 2021).

During the 2022/23 financial year, a total revised allocation of R 172,2 million funding was allocated by DWS through RBIG and WSIG to the ADM, as follows:

Grant	Allocation R’ 000	Revised allocation	Transferred	Expenditure R’ 000	Expenditure %	Balance R’ 000
WSIG 5B	86 000	86 000	15 200	0	0	86 000
RBIG 6B	222 935	110 000	N/A	36 689	33	73 311
Total	228 715	172 200		108 650	63%	159 311

a) The intervention steps are as follows:

i) Peddie – This area is one of the areas having inadequate bulk water supply. Bulk water in Ngqushwa Municipal area is supplied by Amatola Water (AW). AW is continuously engaged in trying to come up with a Long-Term Plan for this area and have promised to be developing a plan. The ADM is also currently implementing interventions where boreholes are currently being drilled and equipped for the following villages, Ntilini, Hamburg, Upper Gwalana and Celetyume through WSIG funding budgeted in the 2022/23 Financial Year benefiting about 24 000 people. ADM is also busy implementing the Bulk and Reticulation Phase 2 project funded through MIG in the current MIG 3-year Capital Plan. The whole Peddie Town and surrounding areas will benefit from the project (about 24 000 people). ADM continues to cart water as and when required utilising its Equitable Share.

ii) Stutterheim – This town is supplied with water through the Gubu Dam as well the Kubusie River and Scotchmans Weir. ADM operates and maintains its infrastructure efficiently while continuing to cart water as and when required. To improve service delivery, ADM is also implementing the Stutterheim Water Pipe Replacement Programme funded through WSIG also in this financial year.

iii) Kei mouth - This town is supplied with water through the Cwili Dam. The ADM is also in the process of upgrading the Kei Bridge Komga Water Treatment Works funded through MIG also prioritised the current financial Year.

iv) Haga haga - This town is supplied with water through the Haga Haga Dam. ADM has also prioritised Upgrading of the Haga Haga Water Treatment Works which is currently at implementation stage funded through MIG and also prioritised this current 2022/23 Financial Year.

---00O00---

Reply:

Several negative factors occurred simultaneously in Gauteng, which resulted in the recent supply problems. These included:

Severe load shedding affected the ability of both Rand Water and Joburg Water to pump water into their reservoirs. This resulted in the water levels in the reservoirs being too low to gravity-feed water to high-lying areas. As a result, a number of high-lying areas were without water for prolonged periods.

A heat water wave which resulted in increased watering of gardens by residents. In addition, the summer rains arrived late, meaning that residents did not swich off their sprinkler systems as they usually do when the summer rains start. These factors combined to result in a spike in water demand. This spike in water demand also made it difficult for the reservoirs to be filled adequately.

Both Rand Water and Joburg Water experienced several electrical and mechanical failures, which also contributed to the difficulty in filling the reservoirs. Some of these failures may have been a result of damage to equipment caused by the frequent load shedding. Two of Rand Water’s purification plants, namely, Zuikerbosh and Vereeniging as well as two major pumps stations (Palmiet and Eikenhof) supplying large parts of the city were affected by power failures. The equipment has since been repaired.

Rand Water’s operating philosophy is to maintain the reservoir levels between 60-80%. This targeted range is intended to enable the system to be resilient and respond to any challenges. Historically, during September to January, water consumption increases exponentially in Gauteng. It was with this understanding that Rand Water wrote to the high consumers, i.e. City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, and City of Ekurhuleni; to encourage reduced consumption in anticipation of the increased demand for water.

Despite these efforts, water consumption continued to increase significantly, and Rand Water’s overall water storage declined from 52% to 38%. Stemming from this decline, a high-level meeting was convened with the Metros to notify them of the intention to apply Stage 1 restrictions. Despite these efforts, water storage levels continued to decline and that prompted Rand Water to apply Stage 2 restrictions. The heatwave also informed the decision to escalate from Stage 1 to 2. The restrictions are necessary to stabilize the system and are aimed at restoring the overall reservoir storage capacity to 60%.

The Department is in the process of temporarily increasing the allocation of water to Rand Water from the Vaal River System, to ensure that the availability of raw water does not become a constraint to Rand Water’s ability to provide treated water during this difficult period.

---00O00---

Reply:

The amounts spent by the Department of Water and Sanitation to replace and refurbish water infrastructure in the past five financial years were spent on Water Trading Entity infrastructure and not municipal infrastructure where these losses are occuring.

The following amounts have been spent on replacing and/or refurbishing water infrastructure by the Water Trading Entity (WTE):

Financial Year	Total
	R'000
2017/18	390 787
2018/19	177 123
2019/20	164 457
2020/21	137 315
2021/22	227 250
Grand Total	1 096 932

The following amounts have been spent on replacing and/or refurbishing water infrastructure by the Main Account:

Financial Year	RBIG	WSIG	Total
	5B	6B	5B	6B
2017/18	1 829 002	3 747 243	3 305 237	819 416	9 700 899
2018/19	1 963 000	3 061 848	4 777 267	578 398	10 380 514
2019/20	2 028 516	2 768 746	3 669 319	548 284	9 014 865
2020/21	2 005 605	2 998 971	3 360 456	330 186	8 695 218
2021/22	2 237 370	2 246 121	3 620 327	404 797	8 508 615
Grand Total	10 063 493	14 822 930	18 732 606	2 681 081	46 300 110

---00O00---

Reply:

1)  It should be noted that Doornkop is illegally occupied as the land is owned by Doornkop Communal Property Association (CPA). The area is not yet formalised by the municipality as it is still subject to a land claim. The area is supplied with water through six boreholes which are utilized as the main water source. However, one borehole is not operational due to vandalism. The municipality is in the process of fixing the borehole and is supplementing water supplies through water tankering.

2) The municipality has intervened by providing thirty-five water storage tanks that are servicing Doornkop Village, the tanks are placed in strategic areas across the Doornkop Village. The municipality has seven water tankers that are allocated to supply water to Doornkop Village daily to supplement the boreholes.

3) The municipality is not aware of any notice that was circulated on19 September 2020. On 22 September 2021 the municipality arranged a stakeholder engagement meeting with the community including political parties to try and address the issue of illegal connections through public engagement.

The Municipality officials with the support of the former Member Mayoral Council (MMC) for infrastructure Mr Johannes Matshiane were chased away by the community. The community clearly indicated that they will not allow the municipality to disconnect those who are illegally connected as they need water in their yards not from communal standpipes or tankers. The municipality has put on hold their long term plans due to the pending litigation of the land dispute by the CPA.

4) The existing infrastructure which are boreholes are secured, they are equipped with locks and cannot be tampered with. Currently, the municipality has no intention of hiring security personnel as this is a privately owned land and this would require permission from the CPA.

---00O00---

Reply:

Engagement is ongoing with the respective Water Service Authorities regarding the need to provide alternative energy supply mechanisms that can minimize the impact of loadshedding, to ensure the citizens constitutional right of access to clean drinking water.

Supported by the department, Water Boards, in their roles as water service providers to water service authorities, have taken different approaches to manage the impact of ESKOM’s loadshedding on their ability to provide reliable bulk water supply services to users, including:

• Engaging with the provincial government leadership and ESKOM in an attempt to negotiate and facilitate for exemption on water infrastructure from frequent load-shedding
• Filing applications with ESKOM for exemption in terms of Eskom Regulation NRS048-9. Some applications for exemption have been successful while some have not been due to technical reasons advanced by ESKOM and some are still waiting for outcomes to the applications.
• Entities such as Bloem Water, Rand Water, Umngeni Water, Lepelle Water and Magalies Water are operating water infrastructure that is exempt from loadshedding and are mostly able to continue with operations.
• Where affordable, some of the entities have procured back-up generators to continue with operations even when there is loadshedding

---00O00---

Reply:

I am aware of the water supply interruptions at the Rustenburg Local Municipality (LM). An urgent notice was issued by the municipality on 27 September 2022, informing consumers of the expected water interruptions due to load shedding implemented by ESKOM. This has resulted in Water Treatment Plants not operating optimally. The municipality also reported a 40% reduction within the Magalies Water supply system, which has since recovered and is currently operating at 100%. However, the Bospoort system is still operating at 40% supply.

As a relief measure, the municipality began implementing a Water Demand Management Strategy on 14 October 2022. Based on the strategy, water supply is isolated and rotated to specific areas at a time. A schedule of water supply has been issued, detailing the supply times for different areas.

I have been advised that the municipality requested Eskom to exempt the Bospoort area from load shedding to mitigate water supply challenges and meet the current demand. However, Eskom only approved the Bospoort Water Treatment Plant to be exempted for a total of two days. The municipality has since committed to equip the Bospoort Water Treatment Plant with backup power.

I am also aware of the grey water that is supplied to the mines. The supply of treated effluent from the Rustenburg Wastewater Treatment Works to Anglo American and Impala Platinum mines was authorised in the water use authorisations for the mines as a way of promoting the wate re-use. At no point is the treated effluent pumped to any water supply reservoirs.

---00O00---

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation engaged with Mkhondo Local Municipality on 10 and 19 October 2022 respectively. The Municipality reported that there has never been a point where there has been muddy water supplied to the community except when the team is busy with pipe repairs and only for a few hours not days or weeks. The Municipality has never received any complaints regarding muddy water in both Wards mentioned above.

Eskom’s load shedding affects the water supply and the low-level water in the reservoirs causes sediments to flow from the reservoirs into the pipeline, and this affects the quality supplied to the community. When the water treatment plants are not operating, water storage reservoirs drop significantly to an extent that remaining water at the water storage reservoirs remain with sediments that are flushed out when water supply is restored.

On occasions when the municipality experiences muddy water, their water quality team collects water samples for analysis to confirm compliance with the drinking water quality standard.

The DWS has been engaging with the municipality on the 2022 Blue Drop Risk Assessment Report published in April 2022. The DWS has requested the municipality to improve on the following:

• The WTW Microbiological report
• Develop water storage reservoirs cleaning programme to all water supply systems within the municipality to prevent sediments in tap water.
• Flush water following major pipe burst to prevent supply of muddy water.

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  The budget for the R3 billion bulk water project in Giyani was spent as indicated in the table below.

PROJECT NAME	LTE	SOUTH ZAMBEZI	KHATO CIVILS	TOTAL SPEND
Giyani Intervention	181,534,525.82	171,737,633.33	2,544,327,974.52	2,897,600,133.67
Nandoni	52,195,702.16	22,779,243.65	0	74,974,945.81
Nwamitwa	104,559,644.15	60,678,623.86	0	165,238,268.01
Makoxa	2,446,636.00	0.00	0	2,446,636.00
Total	338,289,872.13	255,195,500.84	2,544,327,974.52	3,140,259,983.49

(i) The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) made a referral to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the HAWKS) on 3 April 2018 for criminal charges against the former Chief Executive Officer of Lepelle Northern Water for contravening the provisions of the Public Finance Act (PFMA). Another referral was made to the NPA for charges against the manager responsible for Planning GIS on 20 September 2018 for collusion, and fraud. The investigation is in progress and no arrests have been made so far.

(ii) No referral was made to the NPA for charges against any politician.

---00O00---

Reply:

The correlation between performance information and expenditure is a complex matter as the annual performance plan (APP) that is designed to track performance does not necessarily monitor all expenditure items of the Department. The APP is designed to measure activities of strategic importance within a given period even though some activities may have little cost implications.

In an effort of aligning the performance with expenditure, the departmental activities that have the highest budget have several indicators, for example the Regional Bulk Infrastructure and Water Services Infrastructure Grants. The Department is continually improving processes that result in inefficiencies and contribute to the low performance (a case in point is the procurement processes).

---00O00---

Reply:

The Mopani District Municipality (DM) is a Water Service Authority (WSA) in its area of jurisdiction comprising of five local municipalities (Greater Tzaneen, Ba-Phalaborwa, Greater Letaba, Maruleng and Greater Giyani). The district area has been experiencing water shortages due to various causes, namely:Raw Water Shortages (low level dams)

• Dilapidated and aging infrastructure
• Population growth

The Mopani DM receives funding from the Department through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) and Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) schedule 6B and under schedule 5B. The municipality utilises these grants to provide short- and long-term water provision interventions.

The municipality also receives Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) from the Department of Cooperative Governance which they utilise for their water and sanitation projects.

Table 1: Water Provisioning Status and Backlogs in Mopani

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS PER MUNICIPALITY
MUNICIPALITY	BPM	GGM	GLM	GTM	MLM	MDM
Total No. of HH	41 115	63 548	58 261	108 925	24 469	296 320
HH with access	39 889	54 003	52 838	82 552	20 101	249 384
HH without access	1 226	9 545	5 423	26 373	4 368	46 935
% Backlog	2.98%	15.02%	9.31%	24.21%	17.85%	16%
% HH with access	97.02%	84.98%	90.69%	75.79%	82.15%	84%

The following are projects that are currently being implemented by the Mopani DM through funding from DWS and COGRA (MIG, RBIG and WSIG) to improve water supply services in the short, medium to long term:

• Tours Water Scheme: Bulk Lines refurbishment and Reticulation
• Hoedspruit Bulk Water Supply
• Thapane Regional Water Scheme (Upgrading of Water Reticulation and Extensions)
• Sefofotse to Ditshosine Bulk Water Supply/Ramahlatsi Bulk and Reticulation
• Lulekani Water Scheme (Benfarm)
• Rural Household Sanitation (Maruleng)
• Rural Household Sanitation (Greater Tzaneen LM)
• Rural Household Sanitation (Greater Giyani LM)
• Rural Household Sanitation (Greater Letaba LM)
• Rural Household Sanitation (Ba-Phalaborwa LM)
• Ritavhi 2 Water Scheme (Sub-Scheme 1)
• Giyani Water Reticulation to the outstanding villages
• Refurbishment of the Giyani Water Treatment Works
• Mametja Sekororo RWS Phase 1
• Mametja Sekororo RWS Phase 1A (Edlin)
• Mametja Sekororo RWS Phase 1B (Eternity)
• Mametja Sekororo RWS Phase 2

---00O00---

Reply:

a)  The Department undertakes planning studies over different planning horizons to derive interventions that are implemented to ensure water security for the entire country. These interventions incorporate enablers like governance, financing, human capacity building and science and innovation that facilitate implementation of water projects at National, Provincial and District and Local Municipality level.

The interventions implemented for our water security are contained in the National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS), the instrument by which the minister gives effect to the National Water Act, as well as the master plans that emanate from the NWRS. The various studies informing the NWRS are available on the DWS website, at http://www6.dwa.gov.za/iwrp/projects.aspx, and the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NW&SMP) is available at http://www.dwa.gov.za.

Some of the work done by the department in relation to long term planning includes the development of the:

• Water Reconciliation Strategies
• Five-year Water and Sanitation Reliability Plans for all District Municipalities in South Africa.

The key outputs of the scenario planning are strategies to reconcile water requirements and availability for all large integrated systems in the country as well for localised water resource systems that secure water for small towns, villages, or clusters of settlements. Reconciliation strategies inform water security perspectives into national, provincial, and local planning instruments such as the National Development Plan, NWRS, Provincial Growth and Development Strategy, Water Service Development Plans and vice-versa

The objective of the Five-year Water and Sanitation Reliability Plans for all District Municipalities is to develop a Water and Sanitation Services Situational Assessment of the current service levels and infrastructure referenced to households at community level. The situational assessment information knowledge base is then interpreted into a needs perspective that categorises each supply need and gap analysis into a reliability category. Projects are then identified to address each of the reliability needs classification categories and a funding model developed that enables a five-year pipeline of projects implementation plan that integrates all grant funding. The full development of the plans for all 44 District Municipalities is scheduled to be completed by March 2024.

b) The identified interventions cover the whole country and benefit all the municipalities and communities in the country.

c) The plans extend cover continuous daily and weekly monitoring of water levels, to the Annual Operating Analyses which optimise annual water management, to at least 25-year planning horizons for the water resource reconciliation studies and beyond. The plans conducted as indicated in (a) above provide the direction of strategies for the country’s water security, which are continuously firmed up on a progressive basis to make them dynamic. The plans are continuously monitored and updated every 3 to 5 years to ensure that they remain current and relevant.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  The Department of Water and Sanitation (the Department) has a maintenance plan in place for government water schemes which includes all activities to ensure adherence to routine, planned and unplanned maintenance requirements. The maintenance plan is informed by the Asset Management Plan of the Department. Furthermore, the Department has entered into agreements with some Water User Associations (WUAs) and Irrigation Boards (IB) to operate and maintain water schemes to ensure increased water security or sustainable bulk raw water supply for economic and social water users.

2. The Department has, through a competitive bidding process, appointed sixteen (16) mechanical and electrical engineering maintenance contractors for a period of three (3) years, to augment existing capacity.

Reply:

1.  The Musina and Makhado Local Municipalities (LM) fall within the jurisdiction of Vhembe District Municipality (VDM). The VDM is the Water Service Authority (WSA) and Water Service Provider (WSP) to the two local municipalities. A total of three (3) complaints were received regarding (i) two (2) sewer spillages from manholes in the Makhado and Musina and; (ii) uncontrolled discharge of effluent from the Harper wastewater treatment works (WWTW) which is disturbing the construction of a nearby road. Both incidents from the manholes have since been resolved.

The 2022 Green Drop Report raised concerns regarding the overall poor state of wastewater services at Biaba, Waterval, Hlanganani, Makhado, Malamulele, Mhinga, Musina, Mutale, Nancefield, Rietvlei, Tshifulanani, Vleifontein and Vuwani systems and the consequential impact on respective water resources. A letter of non-compliance has been issued for the Water Services Authority to submit a detailed corrective action plan within 60 days of publishing the Green Drop Report. The plan must map the activities, responsible persons, timelines, and expected improvements as outlined in the Regulations. To date, no report has been received to date and the Department is engaging the WSA together with MISA and SALGA as indicated below.

In addition, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) conducted compliance monitoring Inspections at Musina WWTW Nancefield (08 March 2022) and Rietvlei WWTW (07 March 2022) to check compliance against the conditions of issued water use licences for these WWTWs. An investigation was also conducted on the 18 August 2022 at the Campbell sewage package plant an to ensure compliance of National Water Act.

• The DWS has issued directives to VDM for non-compliance of the following wastewater systems that are under Musina and Makhado LMs:Musina WWTW and Nancefield WWTW - issued on the 25 March 2022
• Harper WWTW and Makhado WWTW - issued on the 06 September 2021
• Campbell sewage package plant - issued on the10 August 2022In response to the directives issued by the DWS, the Vhembe District Municipality has developed the corrective action plans to address challenges with the WWTWs. Actions to be taken by the VDM include:refurbishment of the WWTW systems
• Improvement operation and maintenance of the existing infrastructure

Furthermore, the DWS has approved business plans to fund the refurbishment projects through the Water Service Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) within the current financial year. The department is monitoring the implementation of the projects which are still at initiation stage and expected to be completed by end of municipal financial year 2022/23.

(2) Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality falls within the jurisdiction of Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) which assume responsibility of water and sanitation services as the WSA and WSP. Four complaints were received from Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality regarding pollution emanating from Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW). Administrative actions were taken against Sekhukhune District Municipality as a Water Service Authority for Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality.

• Moganyaka Oxidation Ponds for which the DWSissued notice of intention to issue a directive dated 29 October 2021;– a follow up inspection was conducted on 15 June 2022 by the department who found that the issues identified in the notice had not been addressed. A directive is being prepared.

• Dennilton WWTW for which the DWS issued notice of intention to issue a directive dated 31 July 2019; the department conducted a follow up inspection on 08 June 2022 to ascertain compliance with the provisions of the NWA. The municipality was further non-compliant with the directive in terms of Sections 19(3) and 53(1) of the National Water Act, 1998 which is an offence in terms of Section 151(1)(d) of the NWA. The case has been referred for an interdict against Sekhukhune District Municipality to ensure compliance with the directive for the Dennilton WWTW. Therefore, the Department has opened a criminal case for offences outlined in Section 151(1)(d), (i) and (j)) of the NWA. The criminal case will be opened against the Sekhukhune DM.

 

• Nebo Oxidation Ponds in relation to a directive dated 04 May 2021; - DWS officials conducted a follow up inspection was conducted on 13 August 2020 and 05 November 2021 to ascertain compliance with a directive issued by the DWS. Most of the non-compliances had been rectified and the ponds were empty. The municipality indicated that the Oxidation Ponds will be utilized soon. The department officials recommended that the facility should be monitored continuously to ensure compliance with the directive issued to Greater Sekhukhune Municipality.

• Ephraim Mogale WWTW in relation to a notice of intention to issue a directive dated 29 December 2021; DWS officials conducted a follow up inspection on 15 June 2022 to ascertain compliance with the provisions of NWA. A directive will be issued.

• The 2022 Green Drop Report indicates that Marble Hall Wastewater system declined from a 62.3% score in 2013 to a 52% score in 2022. The inspectorate observed a lack of co-ordination amongst Lepelle Water (which is responsible for the Operation and Maintenance of four (4) WWTWs including Burgersfort, Groblersdal, Marble Hall, Steelpoort) and the WSA, which was noticeable during assessments. Plants operated by Lepelle Water achieved Green Drop scores of between 46% and 58% indicating a decline from 2013 Green Drop scores.

There were no compensation claims submitted to Vhembe DM regarding loss and/or health issues however the department availed funds to Vhembe DM through the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) to refurbish and improve operations and maintenance of the wastewater systems.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) carries out a number of assessments into the state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the municipalities. These assessments enable the DWS to monitor the condition of municipal water and sanitation infrastructure through three incentive-based regulatory mechanisms:

• The Green Drop Report, which focuses on sanitation (waste-water treatment systems and effluent quality)
• The Blue Drop Report, which focuses on water (water treatment and water quality)
• The No Drop Report, which focuses on non-revenue water and water losses through leakages

Findings of the 2022 Green Drop report 2022 indicated that 334 Wastewater Treatment Systems have been identified to be at critical state by achieving less than 30% during Green Drop Assessment. Letters of non-compliance in terms of green drop report audit findings have been sent to respective water services institutions responsible for the systems at critical state, requiring them to submit a detailed corrective action plans. To date, eighteen (18) municipalities responsible for 81 wastewater treatment systems have submitted action plans. The Department has also collaborated with SALGA and MISA to assist municipalities on the development of action plans.

In line with the National Water Resource Strategy and National Water and Sanitation Masterplan, the Department has also revived the No Drop Programme to facilitate the reduction of Non-Revenue Water and Actual Water Losses. Findings of the No Drop progress report will be published in March 2023. The department is also currently in the process of undertaking blue drop assessments in 1186 water supply systems. The final Detailed Blue Drop Report is targeted for release in March 2023.

The DWS also monitors the capacity of municipalities to deliver water and sanitation through the Municipal Strategic Self-Assessment (MuSSA); a web-based system that enables municipalities to conduct their self-assessment on critical aspects service delivery performance. The outcomes of the assessment position the Department and other sector role players to provide targeted support to local government through various support and intervention programmes aimed at improving services delivery, governance and business health. Priority areas are identified and addressed through the development of a Municipal Priority Action Plan (MPAP).

Lastly, Five-Year Reliability Water and Sanitation Plans will soon be rolled out in all forty-four (44) District Municipalities. The plans are meant to:

• Ensure sustainable and reliable water services with the service-standard yardstick that has a 100% compliance to functionality, water security and effective governance to maintain appropriate levels of service delivery
• Conduct primary situational assessments of the water services and infrastructure supply conditions and classify each situation into a reliability category. The solution options are then integrated to proposed projects, specifically integrating all funding programmes to alleviate new infrastructure needs and achieve reliability of water services.

2. According to Division of Revenue Act and grants frameworks, the Regional Bulk Infrastructure and Water Services Infrastructure Grants; managed by the DWS; do not fund any works related to operation and maintenance.

The department is looking at the current conditions of certain infrastructure and approached National Treasury to repurpose some portion of Regional Bulk Infrastructure and Water Services Infrastructure Grants to assist in the operation and maintenance of infrastructure.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) carries out a number of assessments into the state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the municipalities. These assessments enable the DWS to monitor the condition of municipal water and sanitation infrastructure through three incentive-based regulatory mechanisms:

• The Green Drop Report, which focuses on sanitation (waste-water treatment systems and effluent quality)
• The Blue Drop Report, which focuses on water (water treatment and water quality)
• The No Drop Report, which focuses on non-revenue water and water losses through leakages

Findings of the 2022 Green Drop report 2022 indicated that 334 Wastewater Treatment Systems have been identified to be at critical state by achieving less than 30% during Green Drop Assessment. Letters of non-compliance in terms of green drop report audit findings have been sent to respective water services institutions responsible for the systems at critical state, requiring them to submit a detailed corrective action plans. To date, eighteen (18) municipalities responsible for 81 wastewater treatment systems have submitted action plans. The Department has also collaborated with SALGA and MISA to assist municipalities on the development of action plans.

In line with the National Water Resource Strategy and National Water and Sanitation Masterplan, the Department has also revived the No Drop Programme to facilitate the reduction of Non-Revenue Water and Actual Water Losses. Findings of the No Drop progress report will be published in March 2023. The department is also currently in the process of undertaking blue drop assessments in 1186 water supply systems. The final Detailed Blue Drop Report is targeted for release in March 2023.

The DWS also monitors the capacity of municipalities to deliver water and sanitation through the Municipal Strategic Self-Assessment (MuSSA); a web-based system that enables municipalities to conduct their self-assessment on critical aspects service delivery performance. The outcomes of the assessment position the Department and other sector role players to provide targeted support to local government through various support and intervention programmes aimed at improving services delivery, governance and business health. Priority areas are identified and addressed through the development of a Municipal Priority Action Plan (MPAP).

Lastly, Five-Year Reliability Water and Sanitation Plans will soon be rolled out in all forty-four (44) District Municipalities. The plans are meant to:

• Ensure sustainable and reliable water services with the service-standard yardstick that has a 100% compliance to functionality, water security and effective governance to maintain appropriate levels of service delivery
• Conduct primary situational assessments of the water services and infrastructure supply conditions and classify each situation into a reliability category. The solution options are then integrated to proposed projects, specifically integrating all funding programmes to alleviate new infrastructure needs and achieve reliability of water services.

2. According to Division of Revenue Act and grants frameworks, the Regional Bulk Infrastructure and Water Services Infrastructure Grants; managed by the DWS; do not fund any works related to operation and maintenance.

The department is looking at the current conditions of certain infrastructure and approached National Treasury to repurpose some portion of Regional Bulk Infrastructure and Water Services Infrastructure Grants to assist in the operation and maintenance of infrastructure.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  According to City of Johannesburg (COJ), two of Rand Water’s purification plants, namely, Zuikerbosh and Vereeniging as well as two major pumps stations (Palmiet and Eikenhof) supplying large parts of the city were affected by power failures. The municipality’s entity, Joburg Water, reported that Eikenhof system was not being operated to full capacity to boost the Palmiet system which was at a critical level. This has resulted in portions of the Eikenhof system, which supplies Crosby, Brixton, Hurst Hill, Crown Gardens and Eagles Nest systems to collapse completely on 4 October 2022.

During engagements with Rand Water, it was agreed that the Eikenhof system should be operated at full capacity and to no longer sustain the Palmiet system. This resulted in flows to Crosby, Brixton and Hurst Hill reservoirs being improved.

2. Yes, the Treaty between South Africa and Lesotho remains in force. The project generates hydroelectricity for the benefit of Lesotho citizens, while water is transferred to meet the water needs of South Africans. This water meets 60% of Gauteng’s water demand.

a) Rand Water’s operating philosophy is to maintain the reservoir levels between 60- 80%. This targeted range is intended to enable the network system to be resilient and respond to any challenges. Historically, during September to January, water consumption increases exponentially in Gauteng. It was with this understanding that wrote to the high consumers; City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, and City of Ekurhuleni; to encourage and plead for reduced consumption in anticipation of the increased demand for water. Despite these efforts, water consumption continued to increase significantly.

Rand Water’s overall water storage declined from 52% to 38%. Stemming from this decline, a meeting was convened with the Metros to notify them of the intention to apply Stage 1 restrictions. Despite these efforts, water storage levels continued to decline and that prompted Rand Water to apply Stage 2 restrictions. The anticipated heatwave informed the decision to escalate from Stage 1 to 2 (. The restrictions are necessary to stabilize the system and avoid total collapse of the systems.

b) It must be noted that Rand Water’s water treatment plants and booster sites are exempt from loadshedding. However, there are two (2) tertiary booster sites in the network that are subjected to loadshedding where diesel generators are used to manage the impact of loadshedding.

The approach for implementing restrictions involves communication on implementation of restrictions to all municipalities that are supplied by Rand Water and to implement restrictions to the three Metros which utilise approximately 80% of Rand Water’s supply, as well as:

• • Identifying major meters under each municipality that will be restricted (53 meters under Johannesburg, 57 under Ekurhuleni and 28 under Tshwane).
  • These meters are monitored over a period of two weeks to assess and review progress to achieve the desired results. As for the current stages two (30%) water supply restrictions that has been implemented effective from 04 October 2022, will be reviewed
  • If the performance of Rand Water’s supply has not improved after two weeks, the review of the implemented water supply restrictions will dictate if other municipalities will be included
• If the performance of Rand Water’s supply does improve after two weeks, the review of the implemented water supply restrictions will dictate reduction to stage one (10%) or removal of restrictions.

These restrictions are aimed at restoring the overall reservoir storage capacity to approximately 60%. Rand Water has formally consulted with the affected municipalities to inform them of its intention to implement the restrictions. The situation is reviewed on an hourly basis and where improvements are made, Rand Water lifts the restrictions to provide reprieve. Rand Water’s consultation with the customers is designed to ensure that no areas are left without water for a prolonged period.

---00O00---

Reply:

The Bela-Bela Local Municipality has been experiencing water supply disruptions owing to the impact of load shedding by ESKOM. The water purification plant is dependent on electricity to pump water from the source to the treatment plant and from the reservoirs to the network reticulation system.

Ageing infrastructure creates also exacerbates the problem of water shortages due to regular pipe bursts which contributes to water losses and shortages in the area.

The municipality is currently implementing water restrictions as and when necessary, because of high-water demand. Availability of water depends on the reservoir levels to avoid a situation where the taps would run dry.

The Bela-Bela Local Municipality has indicated that steps are taken to notify the community timeously about water supply interruptions.

--00O00---

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation completed a feasibility study in 2013 for a long-term solution for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in the Witwatersrand as per recommendation of the 2011 Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) report. The long-term solution that was recommended involved further treatment of the partially treated water currently produced in the AMD treatment plants through desalination for beneficial socio-economic uses. The department commenced with preparations towards implementation of the long-term solution in 2017, but this was later put on hold due to budget constraints.

The department recognises that a significant amount of time has passed from when the feasibility study was first finalised, and for this reason is currently completing other studies to ensure the relevance of the recommendations made in 2013. This work will culminate in a revised long-term solution to be considered for implementation.

Although financial constraints remain a major challenge, the Department is also in the process to re-establish the Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP) which was also put on hold with the long-term solution in 2017. The programme is being undertaken in partnership with other stakeholders such as Water Research Commission and Department of Science and Technology and is exploring alternative technologies which can provide solutions for the AMD problem in the long-term. The TDP will be integrated with the work done by the Development Bank of South Africa through the National Water Programme.

This process will take time as proper technology selection is imperative in ensuring the most cost-effective, technologically sound, and environmentally friendly solution is implemented.

---00O00---

Reply:

The Department aims to publish compulsory National Water and Sanitation norms and standards for public consultation drafted under Section 9 of the Water Services Act, No 108 of 1997. In the draft norms and standards, there is a provision for grey water management. It is therefore critical for the public and various stakeholders to provide comments once the regulations are published to shape these regulations to provide necessary guidance on how water and sanitation can be managed and provided efficiently.

Mitigation measures can be addressed by various water services authorities (WSAs) as prescribed in the Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000 under section 76 which prescribes mechanisms for provision of services. This section empowers the WSAs to provide these services based on the situation in a particular municipality on how water and sanitation services can be provided, and these includes grey water management, water reclamation, decentralised systems such as septic tanks among others.

---00O00---

Reply:

(1)  The residents of Ogunjini in Ward 59 of eThekwini Metro have been receiving water supply from a 1Ml/day Ogunjini water treatment works. A project implemented by the eThekwini Metro to upgrade the treatment plant to 2Ml/day is planned for completion by September 2023.

Eight 16 000 litre water tankers with a minimum of two loads per day, have been permanently deployed to the area by the eThekwini Metro. It is expected that this current deployment plan will remain in force until the completion of the treatment works upgrade.

(2) a) The current average cost per tanker to supply the community with water is estimated at R4 000 per day.

b) The cost to sink a borehole is estimated at R331,000 per borehole at varying capacity outputs to be determined upon testing.

(3) The municipality is currently implementing an emergency borehole rehabilitation and installation programme while a full roll-out of the programme is at tender stage. The Ogunjini areas have also been considered for this programme.

(4) The Department of Water and Sanitation will continue to monitor the water services supplied to the area by the Ethekwini Metro and provide support if required.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  There have been no reports to the Department of Water and Sanitation that there are currently any decants elsewhere. There are also no decants at the Eastern Basin plant where the TCTA is abstracting and pumping from.

The water level in the void is monitored daily and was 43.06 metres below ground level as of 17 October 2022. The DWS has scheduled a site visit on 25 October 2022 to Gravelotte Mines to assess the situation

It should be noted that each mine is responsible for pumping and treating water within its own mining area and ensuring the safety of its personnel and the environment it holds a mining right for.

2. Mine impacted water / acid mine drainage water in the void is tested daily when the plant is operating, and groundwater tests are conducted quarterly through the use of boreholes. Due to the plant being offline, the frequency of ground water testing has been increased from quarterly to monthly.

Depending on the results, the frequency may be increased to ensure the DWS and TCTA monitors possible ground water contamination closely. As the Eastern Basin AMD Treatment plant is offline, no water is currently being treated.

3. Ingress control measures are the mandate of DMRE and as such, DMRE would be in a better position to provide more clarity regarding the projects it is currently working on to reduce the total amount of water flowing into the Witwatersrand voids.

4. (a) The information is made available to the various forums on a regular basis and the Department and TCTA further responds to all stakeholder queries as and when needed.

(b)TCTA in partnership with Gold-One has procured 3 new motors in July 2022 and the factory acceptance tests for the new motors were conducted successfully on 29 September 2022 in China. The motors will be shipped to RSA on 21 October 2022.

A service provider is busy servicing the pump and will also make the modifications to the pump to be compatible with the new motor from China. It is expected that the plant will be operational early December 2022.

(c) The level at the Eastern Basin AMD Treatment plant was 43.06 metres below surface as of 17 October 2022.

(d) The cost of operations and maintenance in the Eastern Basin for the financial year 2021-2022 was R72 million while the cost of repairing the motors to date is R15.5 million.

---00O00---

Reply:

(1-2) The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality (LM) has advised the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) that there are villages that do not have reliable access to water due to leakages caused by illegal connections, which results in the the supply system not being able to cater for all villages. The municipality has implemented a rationing programme to ensure that all residents have access to water. The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality is implementing a project to replace the asbestos pipeline which is due for completion during the 2024/25 financial year.

(3)(a) It is anticipated that the project to replace the asbestos pipeline will be completed during the 2024/25 financial year. The municipality is currently implementing a project to install an additional clear water pump at the Hoxane WTW which will increase the volumes pumped by the plant from 22 Ml/day to 31 Ml/day to the Ndonga reservoir that supplies all the villages being enquired about.

(b) The municipality has a duty to ensure that the farmers and residents are connected legally and to take legal actions against individuals that are vandalising infrastructure.

---00O00---

Reply:

1.  The department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is aware of water from the mine void in the Eastern Basin entering an opencast pit. It should be noted that mining operations are responsible for dewatering their own operations, not the DWS. This responsibility has been recognised by Gold One who are procuring pumps to assist in the pumping and treatment of acid mine drainage in the Eastern Basin.

The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) is the implementing agent for DWS on this project. The pumps were procured from Andritz in Germany. Andritz had a proven track record in the supply of these submersible pumps worldwide and the first 2 pumps were donated by Central Rand Gold, who at that stage wished to mine to a depth of 450 m in the Central Basin. Additional pumps were sourced from the same supplier to ensure compatibility and to allow the pumps to be moved between the basins as required.

(a) Due to Covid-19 and the related global supply chain challenges, TCTA was not able to secure all the spares from Andritz in time to enable the continued pumping at the Eastern Basin AMD Plant. A decision was made to concentrate pumping and treatment in the Western and Central Basins as once the Eastern Basin becomes operational again it has the capacity to recover.

(b) (i)Nafasi Water Technologies (Pty) Ltd was appointed by the TCTA through a competitive process, on a 5-year contract to operate and maintain the AMD Plants for the Central and Eastern Basins including the AMD pumps.

(ii) The spares for the first motor were received in June 2022 (planned for December 2021) and the refurbishment of the first motor commenced in July 2022 by Marthinus and Coutts and was completed mid-August 2022 as planned. The motor was installed and commissioned by Carl Harm in August 2022 but was only in operation for 1 week before it started stalling and this necessitated the motor to be taken back to the workshop for a detailed inspection.   

(iii) The cost of operations and maintenance in the Eastern Basin for the financial year 2021-2022 was R72 million

2. The TCTA is responsible for the sourcing of critical spares from the original equipment suppliers in order to maintain the warranties for the various installed equipment.  

((i)In addition, the refurbishment of the motors and pumps is being done locally through the following service providers:

• Marthinus & Coutts based in Cleverland, Johannesburg.
• Sulzer - Local Branch
• Carl Harm (Andritz local installer)

(ii-iii) The TCTA in partnership with Gold-One has procured 3 new motors in July 2022 and the factory acceptance tests for the new motors were conducted successfully on 29 September 2022 in China and the motors will be shipped to RSA on 7 October 2022. TCTA is evaluating the option to airfreight one of these motors so that it can be delivered to site within 10 days. Parallel to this process, Sulzer is busy reassembling the pump to be compatible with the new motor from China. If successful, these plans will enable the TCTA to commission one pump by the end of October 2022 and the other two pumps will be commissioned early December 2022.  

3. TCTA has not released any non-treated acid mine water to the Blesbokspruit since the commencement of operations.

---00O00---

Reply:

1. The Minister of Water and Sanitation is aware of the water supply shortages of water supply within the Polokwane Local Municipality particularly within the Polokwane City, the surrounding suburbs and Seshego township.

Polokwane LM receives daily water supply from three major sources comprising of the Ebenezer Water Treatment Works (WTW), Olifantspoort WTW and Dalmada WTW. The Ebenezer and Olifasproot plants are operated by the Lepelle Northern Water Board (LNWB) while Dalmada WTW is operated by Polokwane LM.

Polokwane City and Seshego has a total demand of 96.5 Ml/d and all possible sources can only supply the city with 88.4Ml/d and currently there is a deficit of 8.1 Ml/d. The city is authorized to abstract and or to treat 29.4 Ml/d while LNWB supplies 27 Ml/d from Olifastsproot WTW and 32 Ml/d from Ebenezer WTW.

Water supply to the Polokwane LM is also augmented through boreholes, some of which are non-operation and require repairs as indicated below:

• Sand River North: all fifteen (15) Boreholes are operational. Polokwane LM is pumping the boreholes in alternative to allow some of the boreholes to recharge and the total yield of the boreholes is 4.8 Ml/d
• Seshego Boreholes (Direct to Reticulation): out of six (6) boreholes, two (2) are not operational due to vandalism and the municipality is currently repairing the borehole.
• Marshall Boreholes: all five (5) boreholes are operational and currently producing 3.8 Ml/d

The WTWs supplying Polokwane are faced with challenges that impact on the ability of the municipality to supply water consistently to all residents as follows:

• The Ebenezer WTW
  • The plant is operated by LNWB and is highly affected by general interruption of electricity, currently affecting optimal water supply countrywide, which is supplied by the Greater Tzaneen LM
  • Greater Tzaneen LM is currently upgrading electricity infrastructure which supplies the Ebenezer WTW and discussions to explore whether Greater Tzaneen LM can isolate Ebenezer WTW from load shedding are underway
• Olifanspoort WTW
  • The plant is operated by LNWB is impacted negatively by the Olifantspoort ageing bulk water supply network contributes significantly to the interruption of water supply in the City of Polokwane.
  • The main cause of the water supply challenges in Polokwane City was due to deficiencies of the pumping systems of the Olifantspoort scheme. There were mechanical breakdowns within Pump Station No 2 and Pump Station No 3 which have since been repaired.
    • The LNWB has already commissioned Phase 1 for the upgrade and refurbishment of this bulk pipeline, a cost of R 32 million. Phase 2 which has been allocated R 38 and is meant to refurbish aging infrastructure will be completed by the end of October 2022
• The Dalmada WTW
  • This plant, which is operated by the City of Polokwane, has a pipeline that conveys raw water from Dap Naude sections of which is critically dilapidated.
  • A study that was done in 2019 has confirmed a need for refurbishment and upgrade of the pipeline to enable Polokwane LM to safely abstract of 14Ml/d from the dam, which would add 4.1Ml to the supply
  • The Implementation Readiness Studies for the refurbishment and upgrades is under consideration by the department.

• Seshego WTW

• • There is a 1.8 Ml/d deficiency in the system due to the new Seshego WTW Plant currently being non-operational while under construction.

To ensure proper resolution of the water supply plaguing the Polokwane LM, a task team led by both Deputy Ministers, the Executive Major of Polokwane and Chairperson of the Board of LNWB has been set up to resolve water supply challenges in the Polokwane LM. A technical task team led by the Municipal Manager of Polokwane LM, the Chief Executive Officer of LNWB and DWS officials has also been established. The task team will meet weekly to track progress on the restoration of water supply to Polokwane City including the Seshego township. The implementation of the action plan is at 85% and all major challenges are being resolved.

2. A joint media briefing was held by both Polokwane LM, LNWB and the department on 5 September 2022. Furthermore, the Polokwane LM continues to update residents of Polokwane City including Seshego township on any development regarding the state of water supply.

---00O00---

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) recently published the 2022 Green Drop Report which gives a detailed overview of the state of Wastewater Management in the country. The report presents an extremely concerning situation across the country, and that wastewater management has deteriorated notably since 2014.

a) The Department of Water and Sanitation has taken steps to capacitate Water Service Authorities in collaboration with the South Africa Local Government Association (SALGA) through:

• Capacitating the Water and Sanitation Portfolio based Councillors throughout their term.
• Ensuring adequate wastewater operations and maintenance capacity through the training of Process Controllers. The department will, in collaboration with the Energy and Water Sector Training Authority (EWSETA) facilitate training of Process Controllers in order to comply with the required Wastewater Quality Management regulations.
• Ensuring that all wastewater management environmental hazards are mapped and mitigated

Furthermore, the department together with SALGA embarked on the Water and Sanitation Councillor Induction from May to August 2022 across the country. Wastewater Quality Management and Drinking Water Management themes were part of the inductions.

b) (i) Key focus areas identified in the report include the following:

• Technical competence
• Treatment capacity
• Wastewater monitoring and compliance
• Operation, Maintenance and Refurbishment of Assets

(ii) Key areas of concern identified during the Green Drop Assessments will be addressed in the following ways:

• The DWS is in the process of finalising the amendments to regulations relating to compulsory national standards for process controllers and water services works. The regulations seek to ensure that the water services works are classified according to their technology type to determine the level of skill required for operations by process controllers.
• Process controllers who are skilled in both qualifications and years of experience must be registered to operate a relevant water service works based on their class of certificate.
• The DWS is putting in place a Water Services Improvement Programme (WSIP) to strengthen its support and intervention at municipal level based on actual data or most available data. The aim of the programme is to ensure that support and intervention at municipal level is proactive, consistent, and systematic.
• Maintenance and refurbishment of Wastewater Treatment Works is the primary responsibility of the responsible Water Service Authorities (WSAs). However, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) works together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to ensure that municipalities receive the necessary support and grant funding to refurbish and maintain their assets.
• The DWS also funds certain refurbishment and upgrading projects that meet the criteria of the different funding programs such as Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) and Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG). Some of the specified WWTW have been gradually included in these programs depending on availability of funds availed to the Regions.
• COGTA also supports WSAs through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) for water and sanitation services, amongst other. Some of the funding has been allocated for the refurbishment of some of WWTW.

---00O00---