Latest news with #DepartmentofWaterandSanitation
The Citizen
7 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Major progress in addressing Emfuleni water and sanitation challenges
The Emfuleni Local Municipality is making substantial strides in resolving its long-standing water and sanitation challenges, following decisive intervention by the Department of Water and Sanitation. The Vaal River System and surrounding communities have for years suffered from the persistent problem of severe sewage pollution and spillages. Despite several interventions by the Ekurhuleni Water Care Company (ERWAT) and the South African National Defence Force, the problem persisted. In response, the Department of Water and Sanitation invoked Section 63 of the Water Services Act in 2021, and appointed Rand Water as its implementing agent, to address the situation. According to the department, the intervention has already achieved significant milestones. These include unblocking and replacing collapsed sewer lines; refurbishment of pumpstations and existing wastewater treatment works; and assisting the municipality with essential operational tools of trade, including vehicles, and security. The department said the remaining work is now on upgrading the capacity of existing Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), which are currently struggling to handle the increased amount of sewage due to population growth over the recent decades. The department attributed the progress to strong intergovernmental relations, including Gauteng Provincial Government, Rand Water and Emfuleni Local Municipality. The total estimated cost of the intervention is R7.6 billion over a seven-year period, including completion of the major capital works. The department highlighted that the scope of work will include the upgrades of four WWTW, which will require 3-5 years to complete, based on the engineer's estimation of the work. The scope of work includes upgrading four wastewater treatment facilities, Rietspruit, Leeukuil, Sebokeng, and Meyerton, an effort estimated to take three to five years to complete. Rand Water has been assisting the municipality through staff training and procurement of vehicles and equipment to carry out maintenance work, among others. The refurbishment of four pump stations has also been completed and are now fully functional. The replacement of 50 collapsed sewer lines have also been completed. 'As part of this work, two major projects were completed to replace and upgrade the main sewer pipeline from Rothdene pump station to Meyerton Waste Water Treatment Works, as well to replace the main sewer pipeline from pumpstation eight to pumpstation two. 'In addition, a third project to replace the rising main sewer pipeline from pumpstation two to Leeukruil Waste Water Treatment Works, is 90% complete. Due to these interventions, the incidents of sewage spillages into the community in Emfuleni have reduced markedly,' the department said. According to the department, this has resulted in an improvement in the quality of the effluent from the Waste Water Treatment Works into the Vaal River. However, the department noted that this improvement is limited by the fact that the existing WWTW remain overloaded, and the problem will only be fully addressed, once the capacity of the treatment works is upgraded. The department said it is hard at work to increase the capacity of waste water treatment works, noting that the capacity of Sebokeng Waste Water Treatment Works has been increased by 50 ML per day to 150 ML per day. Designs have been completed for a further 50 ML upgrade of Sebokeng Waste Water Treatment Works. 'Designs for the Rietspruit Waste Water Treatment Works (current capacity 36 ML per day), have been completed to increase the capacity of the WWTW by 50 ML/day. The contractor is currently on-site, [and] designs have been completed to increase the capacity of the Leeukuil Waste Water Treatment Works by 15 ML/day from the current capacity of 36 ML per day,' the department said, adding that work is expected to start anytime.' Work is still underway to increase the current capacity of the Meyerton Waste Water Treatment Works, from 10ML per day to 25 ML/day. As part of our overall intervention, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is being established to serve as a dedicated Water Service Provider (WSP) In the municipality. The establishment of the SPV aims to create a professionally managed, dedicated utility with full responsibility and accountability for the provision of water and sanitation services in Emfuleni. Discussions between the department, Emfuleni Local Municipality and Rand Water, are currently underway with National Treasury to obtain the necessary Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) approvals for its establishment. 'The department is satisfied that these interventions are delivering the desired results. We can boldly state, without any fear of contradiction, that, as a result of Minister's decisive intervention, incidents of sewage spillages into the community in Emfuleni have been drastically reduced. 'Ongoing upgrading of the capacity of Waste Water Treatment Works is necessary to ensure that the problem is completely eliminated. The department will continue to fund Rand Water to complete the upgrades of the three Waste Water Treatment Works,' the department said. To maintain momentum, the department believes that focused attention and energy must be directed towards fighting vandalism and theft of infrastructure and addressing the scourge of non-revenue water. The department also acknowledged the positive role that communities and other sectors, through the political steering committee, continue to play as we intensify efforts to address the water and sewage challenges in the area. – At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
eNCA
28-05-2025
- General
- eNCA
National intervention makes progress with water pollution
EMFULENI - The Department of Water and Sanitation says things are getting better in Emfuleni Local Municipality. READ: Emfuleni Municipality returns R640m in unspent funds Sewage has been polluting the Vaal River System and has been running along streets and into homes in Emfuleni. It says there has been cooperation between national government, Gauteng's Provincial Government, the bulk supplier Rand Water and the Emfuleni Local Municipality. The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo discussed this with eNCA.
Daily Maverick
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Water insecurity means Gauteng has reached the limit of its sustainable development
Those of you who read my articles will know I often speak of the lucrative nature of applying inappropriate solutions to misdiagnosed problems in the South African water sector. It is therefore refreshing to be able to report on genuine progress being made to rectify this situation. In June 2024, a structure known as the Platform for a Water Secure Gauteng (PWSG) was launched by the Director General of the Department of Water and Sanitation. Readers will know I am strongly supportive of this initiative because it represents a coherent strategy to avoid the ravages of a Day Zero scenario in Gauteng, so it represents an example of self-correction at work. The initiative brings together all the key stakeholders from all three tiers of government – national, provincial and municipal – in support of a common objective. I have been given a privileged position of insight into this process since its inception. More importantly, I have never been pressured or persuaded to write with a particular slant on the inner proceedings. I am grateful to the organisers for granting me this privilege, for it has enabled me to assess the decision-making processes and policy formulation with total independence. This is why I am now able to give an optimistic report back to the public. What I see unfolding before my eyes is a genuine attempt to accurately diagnose the problem. This means that certain uncomfortable truths are being laid bare for the first time. What follows is a summary from a Draft Discussion Paper that has been circulated among all PWSG participants to focus on the policymaking going forward. Stated differently, we are starting to see the green shoots of appropriate solutions being applied to accurately defined problems for the first time in decades. This is laudable and so I endorse the process. This Draft Discussion Paper frames the challenge as being chronic shortages of water in some places, and an increasingly widespread series of supply disruptions, unplanned outages and intermittent supply. In addition to this, the Draft Discussion Paper identifies increasingly 'visible leaks and losses from the (municipal) supply network', a problem made worse by 'slow response times and repairs that often require repeat visits to resolve successfully'. It is also noted that 'institutional weaknesses at municipal level have contributed significantly to this deterioration in services'. All of this is music to my professional ears because, for the first time, we are seeing an attempt at doing a root cause analysis. I have beaten the root cause analysis drum long and hard, because if we don't know what's causing systems to fail, how can we really fix them? I am naturally impressed when I see change taking place in the right direction. More importantly, we can now get to the nitty gritty of the contents of the Draft Discussion Paper. To accurately report on this, I will not paraphrase, deeming this significant enough to quote verbatim: 'These problems have been compounded by long delays in the nationally-led Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 (LHWP2) to increase bulk water supplies from the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS) on which the region depends. 'At present, Rand Water, the bulk water provider to Gauteng, is taking more water than can safely and sustainably be supplied from the IVRS in the long term (1,600 million cubic metres per annum – MCM/yr), which is the long-term sustainable abstraction limit. 'Due to good rainfalls in recent years, DWS has given Rand Water a temporary licence to abstract 1,870 MCM/yr, which is renewed annually, depending on the status of the IVRS. If conditions in the IVRS deteriorate, DWS will have to revert to the long-term abstraction limit to avoid the risk of major water shortages should there be a multi-year drought.' Now it gets to the crunch, because 'even when LHWP2 is completed in 2029, Rand Water will only be able to increase its abstraction by a limited amount, given that it is already over-abstracting in terms of the sustainable long-term abstraction limit'. So, in essence, Gauteng has reached the limit of its sustainable development, and this is a very big deal indeed. Let us unpack some of these implications as part of the broader national dialogue. Water — investment enabler The first implication is that water insecurity is now constraining investment. It is refreshing to see reference being made to this specific issue, because when we created the SA Business Water Chamber to support the Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) launched in 2019, this was our concern. In a Presidential brief titled ' Public-Private Growth Initiative Believe High-Growth South Africa is Within Reach ' dated 29 January 2019, it was stated that 'the PPGI believes growth of 5% and more is possible, provided certain enablers for the economy are realised, and key inhibitors are eliminated'. At that time, water was simply not part of the thinking, so Benoit le Roy, Fred Platt and I engaged with the Presidency with one core message – water is an economic enabler – saying that if it is ignored by the PPGI, then the initiative will fail. It was ignored and the PPGI failed. So, we now see progress being made, because the Draft Discussion Paper acknowledges what we believed to be a self-evident truth, six lost years ago. The second implication is that water insecurity is impacting negatively on employment opportunities and therefore, economic growth in general. This is a welcome admission in the Draft Discussion Paper because it is the direct outcome of ignoring the fact that water is an economic enabler in the first place. We now have the first linkage at policy level between water security, employment and investor confidence. This is a significant breakthrough, in my professional opinion. The third implication clearly stated in the Draft Discussion Paper is that the quality of life for the residents of Gauteng will continue to deteriorate unless appropriate intervention occurs. In other words, what we have right now is as good as it's ever going to be, and if we collectively want to experience a better quality of life, then we must commit to a 10% reduction in water consumption per capita in Gauteng. Every proverbial cloud has a silver lining, and this is certainly true for this single policy objective, because the strategy recognises the central role that leakages and losses (known as unaccounted for water) play in the desired objective of sustainability. Finally, the comforting bit is that Rand Water is firmly recognised as a key player in the PWSG. It has a robust balance sheet, despite the generally negative public perception around state-owned enterprises. It also has the technical capacity to assist with institutional strengthening within municipalities where required. After all, it is municipalities alone that have the sole mandate to deliver water services to residents within their geographic footprint. Good news is a rare commodity, which is why it is so refreshing to find hard evidence that sincere attempts are being made to perform a root-cause analysis with the sole objective of developing appropriate solutions to accurately diagnosed problems. It is also comforting to the founders of the SA Business Water Chamber that water is indeed an economic enabler. Had the PPGI recognised this simple fact, then economic growth of 5% might have been achievable after all.
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Here's how many millions SA sends to Lesotho each month for water
Meanwhile, Lesotho has a pretty hefty VAT bill. South Africa pays approximately R230 million monthly in royalties to Lesotho for water from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, while Lesotho owes R513 million in outstanding value-added tax (VAT) refunds as of February 2024. These monthly payments drop to around R120 million during periods when water delivery is disrupted. According to a briefing on Tuesday by the Department of Water and Sanitation to the portfolio committee on Water and Sanitation, the royalty structure operates on a 56-44% split favouring Lesotho. Teboho Nkhahle, South African Chief Delegate to the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, confirmed South Africa 'started paying the revised royalties in January 2024' following recalculations using updated methodologies. 'We are currently paying around R230 million a month. But in the last six months, because there was no water being delivered and no electricity being generated, we're paying around R120 million a month.' The current treaty includes a 12-year review cycle for royalty rates. Committee members called for external auditing by the Auditor General of South Africa to provide more rigorous oversight. South Africa's Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo indicated willingness to explore such arrangements, stating: 'We will mandate our teams that we should find modalities… that are more credible on ensuring that even that institution is on the other side.' The R513 million VAT debt represents outstanding VAT refunds that Lesotho owes to South Africa. Nkhahle confirmed that diplomatic efforts are underway to resolve these financial obligations. Lesotho Highlands Water Project costs escalate to R53.3 billion The second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will deliver an additional 490 million cubic meters of water annually to South Africa, supplementing 780 million cubic meters from Phase One. The water primarily serves Gauteng province. The project operates under the 1986 treaty between South Africa and Lesotho, with oversight from the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, comprising six commissioners from each country. Mahlobo confirmed that the project remains on track for commissioning by 2029, despite recent setbacks, including contractor suspensions due to negligence and concerns over pollution. 'The project is proceeding,' Mahlobo stated, emphasising that different work packages continue simultaneously even when specific components face delays. The project's budget has escalated significantly from its original estimates, with current projections at R53.3 billion. Originally estimated to cost R42.06 billion, the project escalated to R53.3 billion. Mahlobo reaffirmed that water delivery is expected by August 2028, with completion scheduled for September 2028. Construction progress has reached 77% for major components. Nkahle explained that the R53.3 billion long-term cost plan already includes R6.2 billion in contingencies. 'This escalation and contingencies [are ]already built into this long-term cost plan, and also furthermore, each contract also has built in contingency,' Nkhahle said. ALSO READ: Completion date for R53 billion Lesotho Highlands Water Project postponed again Lesotho Highlands Water Project financial structure Committee members expressed concern about the impact on water tariffs and the need for transparency in cost management. 'All of us who are very worried, very worried around the issues of cost escalation, some of the cost escalation is because of the issues of contingencies,' Mahlobo acknowledged during the briefing. South Africa bears all cost-related payments through the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA), which borrows from markets and recovers costs through water tariffs. Water tariffs have been negotiated with end users, such as Randwater, 'over CPI' to account for escalating costs. The funding strategy incorporates long-term loans to prevent sharp tariff increases. Additionally, 33% of project costs are allocated to acid mine drainage treatment, a decision made to protect the quality of water being transferred from Lesotho. Percy Sechemane, TCTA CEO, confirmed the funding arrangements where South Africa receives 'the enduring benefit of water transfer.' ALSO READ: Full Vaal Dam to the rescue as Lesotho Highlands Water Project takes bad turn Contractor suspension and pollution issues A major contractor was temporarily suspended due to negligence, specifically related to pollution in the construction area. The suspension was triggered by environmental concerns affecting water quality in the Katse Dam reservoir. 'The contractor was indeed actually suspended. That's the report we got,' Mahlobo confirmed, adding that the minister had to intervene after the matter became public through media reports. Nkhahle confirmed that 'that suspension has been lifted and the 1,300 workers who were temporarily laid off resumed work this morning.' The engineer accepted interim measures implemented by contractors, along with a comprehensive remedial plan to address environmental concerns. Nkhahle clarified that the pollution was 'localised and insignificant due to the size of the effluent that was running into the reservoir in relation to the total volume of the reservoir.' However, he noted it was significant from a construction monitoring perspective. ALSO READ: Gauteng residents warned to brace for major water disruptions this week Treaty review and financial management The current treaty includes a 12-year review cycle for royalty rates, but committee members questioned why reviews don't occur annually to match maintenance and operational cost variations. Percy Sechemane, CEO of the TCTA, explained that the lengthy review period provides stability for funders. 'The treaty itself is an instrument that a lot of thought went into from both South Africa and Lesotho,' he said, noting that frequent changes would make financiers uncomfortable about their investments. Sechemane also confirmed that water tariffs have already been negotiated with end users like Randwater to account for the escalated costs, with increases 'over CPI on the South African side so that we can close that gap.' Lesotho Highlands young professionals' programme The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority's Young Professionals Programme currently has 60 graduates. However, only five are from South Africa despite 39 being offered opportunities. According to project officials, South African graduates declined participation due to low stipends and challenging working conditions in the mountains. NOW READ: Municipal water crisis 'nothing to do with bulk water supply', says minster at LHWP reopening
Eyewitness News
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Eyewitness News
Water and Sanitation Dept says not responsible for delays in Lesotho Highlands Water Project
JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Water and Sanitation says it is not responsible for the delays in reactivating the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). The tunnel, which had been undergoing maintenance since October last year, was not restored to operation by its scheduled deadline at the end of March. Its main function is to transport over 700 million cubic meters of water annually from Lesotho to at least five South African provinces to ensure water security in the region. The tunnel was finally brought back online on Sunday. Over the past seven months, the department, in collaboration with its Lesotho counterpart, has been meticulously carrying out maintenance on the LHWP. READ: Water from Lesotho gushes into SA's conduits 7 months after shutdown The 38-kilometre-long tunnel required a thorough inspection for surface cracks and corrosion. It was recoated using 43,000 litres of paint. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said the work on the South African side was completed before the end of March, with delays occurring primarily on the Lesotho side. "On the Lesotho side, they were not done. Their delays were caused by inclement weather and they requested an additional three weeks. We were patient with them because we also received heavy rain, so we had to allow them to do things in the correct manner." The tunnel is now back in operation, transporting water from Lesotho into South Africa's Vaal River integrated system.
