The state of our water and sanitation

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s mandate as set out in the National Water Act (1998) and the Water Services Act (1997) is to ensure that the country’s water resources are managed, developed and conserved by supporting the delivery of effective water supply and sanitation.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) maintains the delivery of safe water and the effective management of wastewater by enforcing regulatory measures. To this end, the Blue Drop, Green Drop and No Drop standards are in place to improve asset management practices in municipalities. Over the medium-term period, DWS will support 32 district municipalities with developing reliability plans and will monitor the compliance of all water services authorities with regulatory standards.

National Water And Sanitation Masterplan

DWS is leading the initiative to develop a masterplan that is intended to guide the water sector with the delivery of water and sanitation services to 2030 and beyond. The core purpose of the plan is to provide and implement a comprehensive schedule of actions, as well as to facilitate integrated investment planning for effective services delivery. The masterplan allocates responsibilities to the various tiers of government, private sector and other stakeholders.

National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency

The agency leverages large-scale investments in national water resource infrastructure for sufficient bulk water supply. Augmentation interventions prevent bulk water shortages that exacerbate municipal water and sanitation service delivery.

Drinking Water

According to Stats SA, in 2021 the highest number of households provincially with tap water off- or onsite were found in Western Cape (99.4%), Gauteng (98.4%) and Free State (93.6%). Limpopo (69.4%) and Eastern Cape (71.0%) had the lowest ranks. An estimated 45.2% of households had access to piped water in 2021. A further 29.4% accessed water onsite, while 12.2% relied on communal taps, 1.9% on neighbours’ taps and 2.7% of households fetched water from natural sources.

A total of 98.6% of households in metros had access to tap water, mostly in Cape Town (99.5%), Nelson Mandela Bay (99.2%) and Johannesburg (99.1%). Mangaung (92%) and eThekwini (97.7%) recorded the lowest numbers.

Groundwater is the main source of water in the Karoo, Northern, Eastern and Western Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

Lesotho Highlands Water Project

After being delayed for several years, fullscale construction works for the R36-billion Lesotho Highlands Phase Two project will commence in 2023. Funded by the TransCaledon Tunnel Authority, the project has been implemented jointly by the Lesotho and South African governments, through the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission and Development Authority. The Lesotho project is critical for the security of water supply to Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and the Northern Cape and is due to start delivering water to Gauteng in 2027.

Provincial Projects

DWS has developments at various stages in South Africa:

Eastern Cape. The Mzimvubu Water Project provides water to 750 000 people at a cost of R25-billion.

Free State. A R10-billion project to build a major pipeline from Xhariep Dam to augment water supply in Mangaung is in its feasibility stage. Project completion is due in 2028. DWS has implemented a R1.7-billion project to upgrade wastewater and water treatment works as well as water distribution networks in Maluti-A-Phofung for completion in 2025.

KwaZulu-Natal. The raising of the Hazelmere Dam wall to preserve long-term water supply to eThekwini was expected to be finished in 2022 (at a cost of R800million). The construction of the uMkhomazi Water Project, aimed at delivering long-term additional water to eThekwini at a cost of R23-billion, is due to start in 2025 and completed by 2028.

Limpopo. In 2022, DWS officially launched the R24-billion Olifants River Water Resources Development Project, implemented by the transformed Lebalelo Water Users Association as a public-private collaboration with mining companies (each fund 50% of the project). Water delivery to communities and mines will be fast-tracked and ready by 2028.

Mpumalanga. The R1.2-billion Thembisile-Loskop Bulk Water Supply project will address water supply challenges in the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality and will be implemented over a three-year period from 2022.

Northern Cape. The first phase of the Vaal Gamagara Water Supply Scheme, critical for mining and potable water supply, cost R1.4billion. Phase 2 was expected to start in 2022 at an estimated R10-billion.

North West. In 2022, DWS commissioned the Moretele South Pipeline (60km) to be operated and maintained by Magalies Water and will benefit the Moretele Local Municipality.

Western Cape. To increase water security on the West Coast area of Cederberg, DWS started elevating the Clanwilliam Dam wall at a cost of R3.2-billion. Construction is due to be completed in 2026. The department is executing the R21-million Brandvlei Dam project, which involves the construction of a feeder canal that will provide an additional 33Mℓ of water for storage in the dam.

Entities

Consolidated water boards. Water boards were established in terms of the Water Services Act to provide bulk potable and wastewater to their respective water service institutions. The boards support municipalities by providing, managing and operating regional bulk water services infrastructure. They vary in activity, customer mix, revenue base and capacity. Some boards provide retail services on behalf of municipalities.

Rand Water. Established in terms of the Water Services Act, Rand Water is mandated to provide quality bulk potable water within its area of supply. Its distribution network includes 3 056km of large-diameter pipelines feeding 58 strategically located service reservoirs, with customers including metropolitan and local municipalities as well as mines and industries in Gauteng, supplying on average 3.7-million litres of water daily.

Umgeni Water. Established in terms of the Water Services Act to supply water to approximately six-million consumers mostly in the rural areas of KwaZuluNatal and eThekwini.

Magalies Water. Provides quality bulk water and secondary services directly to municipalities, mines and other industries. Raw water is drawn from rivers which flow into dams owned by DWS. Magalies Water buys the water from the four water-treatment plants and provides municipalities, which draw the water through the reservoir and sells it to consumers.

Bloem Water. Established in 1991 to operate the Caledon/Bloemfontein Government Water Scheme and to supply water to the municipal areas of Bloemfontein, Bainsvlei, Bloemspruit, Botshabelo and Dewetsdorp.

Amatola Water. Established in 1998 to provide bulk- and basic water services to the Eastern Cape.

Mhlathuze Water. Supplied by three dominant water sources in the uMkhanyakude, King Cetshwayo and Zululand district municipalities and has plans for expansion.

Lepelle Northern Water. Water’s mandate is to provide bulk water to water services authorities within Limpopo, serving over three-million people and major industrial users. Lepelle partners with DWS in implementing conservation, demand management and groundwater exploration to augment surface water.

distributes water to the surrounding and rural areas of Cape Agulhas, Theewaterskloof and Swellendam. It has three water-treatment schemes with 22 reservoirs that are strategically located across the Overberg region. The organisation distributes approximately four-million cubic metres of water per year in the region with a pipeline network estimated at 1 450km.

Other Entities

• The Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency, established in terms of the National Water Act, plays an important role in protecting, using, developing, conserving, managing and controlling water resources in a cooperative manner within its catchment area.

• The Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (established in 2004 in terms of the National Water Act) plays a key role in the use, protection and development of water resources in the Inkomati-Usuthu area.

• The Water Research Commission, established in terms of the Water Research Act, is mandated to conduct research, enhance knowledge, build capacity; and promote the effective transfer of information and technology in the water sector.

• The Water Trading Entity converted into a trading entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act in 2008. Its primary role is to manage water infrastructure and resources.

• The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, established in 1986 as a specialised liability management entity, derives its mandate from the National Water Act. It is responsible for the development of bulk raw water infrastructure and providing treasury management services to DWS and water boards. S

SONA 2023: WATER

The reliable supply of water is essential for the wellbeing of people and the growth of the economy. To ensure water security now and into the future, DWS is leading the process of investing in major infrastructure projects across the country.

Construction Of Dams

Several decades after it was proposed, the first phase of the Umzimvubu Water Project will start in the next financial year. This phase, which involves construction of the Ntabelanga Dam, as well as irrigation infrastructure and the distribution of water to communities will be financed by government. The next phase will be construction of the Lilane Dam, which will include a hydropower station. Major projects to increase the capacity of the Clanwilliam, Hazelmere and Tzaneen dams will improve the supply of water to the West Coast, eThekwini and eastern part of Limpopo.

WATER-USE LICENCES

In 2022, goverment announced a comprehensive turnaround plan to streamline the process for water-use licence applications to facilitate greater investment. Since then, government has cleared the backlog of water-use licences and reduced the turnaround time for applications to 90 days.