Department of Water Affairs and Environment Government intends to introduce water rationing and higher tariffs in the short term to curb water use and address a growing water supply crisis. The former minister of water affairs and forestry, Ms Lindiwe Hendricks, has launched the Water for Growth and Development Framework in Johannesburg. The framework was intended to ensure that South Africa ‘secures enough water to support its growth trajectory both social and economic”.

The minister acknowledged that her department was concerned about South Africa’s deteriorating raw and drinking water quality. Contributing factors included increased industrial activity, informal settlements, inadequate maintenance of aging infrastructure and water shortages. Rivers were being polluted by “poorly managed waste water treatment works and acid mine drainage”.

Poor levels of management and regulation had resulted in illegal abstraction of water that reduced the amount of available water supply. Climate change was also adversely affecting rainfall.

The minister announced that urgent action was needed in the face of predictions that the major metropolitan areas would find it difficult to provide adequate water supply within the next decade.

The framework was designed to bring about water security for South Africa’s people, economy and environment. The framework would ensure that a “sufficient supply of water is secured to support the country’s economic growth targets as well as ensuring that every person in South Africa has access to safe drinking water”.

The framework was the product of consultations with stakeholders in the water sector over a two-year period.

The framework makes a number of recommendations including placing water at the centre of development planning decisions, finding new sources of raw water, changing the attitudes of citizens towards water usage and strengthening the regulatory regime.

The minister proposed that multi stakeholder dialogues on water security and usage take place to ensure “balanced and sustainable socio-economic development”. Co-operation between government, the private sector and civil society was vital in order to provide safe drinking water and sanitation, more efficient use and enhanced protection of water resources and meaningful responses to challenges posed by climate change.

The minister described the framework as “a shared commitment to act collectively towards securing our water needs”.

The department is considering introducing a form of water rationing and higher tariffs to curb water use. Proposals would be presented to Cabinet during 2009 after a public consultation process had been conducted. Particular attention would be placed on commercial agriculture and domestic usage to reduce consumption and minimise wastage.

Sources:
Sabinet Cape Town Office
Department of Water Affairs and Environment - 2009-03-04 Media release