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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 15
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22 FEBRUARY 2013
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 02)
15. Mr V M Manzini (DA-Mpumalanga) to ask the Minister of Water and
Environmental Affairs:
(1) What strategies are in place to address the deteriorating water
supply infrastructure which results in severe (a) water and (b)
revenue losses? CW78E
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REPLY:
(1)(a) The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) has developed a Water
Services Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy to address the
problem of deteriorating infrastructure which in turn can result in
severe water losses. The strategy is part of the Departmentâs
initiative to support, guide and train municipalities in the proper
management of their infrastructure which includes planning for
refurbishment, upgrading as well as improved maintenance.
The Department is also running a Councillor Development Programme
focussing on training councillors across the country to assist and
guide Municipalities with the identification and the development of
action plans to address issues of water supply and to reduce their
water losses.
As large regional infrastructure that supply water to municipalities
are often not funded by the MIG (Municipal Infrastructure Grant), a
special grant to fund Regional Bulk Infrastructure was introduced and
is being administered by the DWA. This fund is called the Regional
Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) and has been allocated R 2 589
million for the 2012/13 financial year.
(b) The function of Municipalities is to collect revenue for potable
water they treat and distribute.
The Department provides consistent guidance to Municipalities in the
implementation and management of metering and billing systems in order
to become financially sustainable. The Department has a strategy on
Water Conservation and Demand Management (WCWDM) which include amongst
others measures which guide Metroâs, Districts and Local
Municipalities to implement appropriate measures to reduce water
losses.
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