MANGAUNG METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY - STRATEGIES TO MEET THE GROWING WATER DEMAND

Executive Mayor of Mangaung, Gregory Nthatisi

With 896 000 people, the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality housed 1.5% of South Africa's total population in 2021. Between 2011 and 2021 the population growth averaged 1.3% per annum which is very similar than the growth rate of South Africa as a whole (1.50%).

Compared to Free State's average annual growth rate (0.7%), the growth rate in Mangaung's population at 1.3% was about double than that of the province.

The integrated Caledon River and Modder River catchments can provide a yearly average of 255 Mℓ/day raw water. The demand is expected to grow as a result of urbanisation and eradicate the VIP toilets to waterborne sanitation. It is evident that no single project will be able to address the problem definition and to this end the Water Conservation and Demand Management Strategy has been developed.

A combination of aligned strategies will need to be executed in a combined effort to reduce Non-Revenue Water levels, address current and future yield deficits, address the system’s leaking infrastructure whilst also addressing the community needs and frustrations.

The total CAPEX funding requirement for this strategy is estimated to be R4.3 billion over the next 10 years. Funding support was requested as part of a Budget Facility for Infrastructure application. The Municipality is awaiting parliamentary approval for these funds to be availed to the city.

This strategy will have many benefits:

Benefits to the economy:

• The determined CAPEX associated with the strategic projects will have an approximate total economic contribution of R10.2 billion (including direct, indirect and induced effects) in new production or business sales. The OPEX injection into the economy is estimated to impact new production by R26.4 billion.

• GDP – The CAPEX and OPEX spent on the strategic projects will also contribute to a direct increase in GDP in the broader region. The estimated direct contribution of CAPEX to GDP is R2.7 billion and OPEX is R6.3 billion.

• Job creation - A total of 11 147 employment opportunities are anticipated to be created during the construction phases, while 17 812 employment opportunities are anticipated to be created following the completion of the strategic projects during the operational phases.

• This will create sustainable municipal water service delivery

Benefits to municipal water service users:

• Improved access to, and provision of, reliable drinking water to individuals reliant the municipality’s services. This includes an uninterrupted supply of water to the user areas – An estimated 51 630 households will benefit from the improved waterservices provision.

Benefits related to the water supply system:

• Improved capacity and operational efficiency of the water supply system fromthe improvement in infrastructure.

• Improving the bulk system yield to counter droughts in future.

• Decrease in water losses/leakages due to the replacement of the degraded infrastructure.

Benefits to MMM:

• Through the decrease in water losses/leakages, the MMM will be able to reduce their raw water purchase costs and improve their revenue generation.