Forestry, Drinking Water Quality debate, in the National Assembly, Parliament,
Cape Town
19 October 2006
Madam Speaker,
Members of Parliament,
The issue of Drinking Water Quality is critical to the well-being of all
South African's and is therefore an important area of focus for my Department.
While South Africa is doing very well in maintaining a very high standard of
water quality, it is important that we are open about the challenges that exist
in this area and I would like to thank the Portfolio Committee for hosting the
hearings and producing the report that is the subject of today's debate. We as
a Department have noted the contents of the report and the recommendations made
by the portfolio committee.
The question is, "Is South Africa's drinking water safe?" We have a high
level of confidence in the quality and safety of drinking water provided to
people living in the metropolitan and greater urban areas. I am confident
enough in the water quality to drink tap water and even the bottled water I
drink is tap water supplied by Rand Water. In rural areas and smaller
municipalities steps are being taken to ensure the quality of tap water will
also meet the strictest of standards.
Members of the House will be aware that local government has the
responsibility, through their water service providers, to manage the quality of
water with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) as the regulator
and sector leader ensuring that this is done effectively; with the Minister
having powers to intervene where the quality of water is not up to required
standards.
My Department, DWAF, partnered with the Free State Provincial Government and
local authorities to pilot an electronic system to monitor the quality of water
and the success of this joint effort has resulted in 95 to 98 percent of the
authorities in the Free State collecting the data and complying with quality
requirements; these figures include rural areas, which honourable members
highlights what can be achieved in both urban and rural areas. This system is
now being rolled out to the rest of the country so that in a short period all
water services authorities will have an electronic Drinking Water Quality
Management System. The system requires these authorities to capture water
quality information on a regular basis and a monthly report is produced for
both the municipality and DWAF. This system is a tool for my Department to play
an oversight role but more importantly, it is capacitating local government and
water service authorities to be effective in ensuring the supply of safe
drinking water. This system will complement the ongoing water quality
monitoring activities that water service authorities have been engaged in;
already 85 percent of the water services authorities have been monitoring water
quality this year which is up from 58 percent in 2005.
To ensure we maintain our high quality of water we require co-operative
governance and I urge local government to support the rollout of this system so
that we can ensure that the quality of drinking water meets stringent standards
and where problems are identified interventions can be made. The successful
turn-around of a small municipality such as Kai!Garib (Kakamas) in the Northern
Cape not only encourages me, it also restores my faith in the capacity and
proficiency that exists in the sector.
As part of our programme to ensure water quality we have commissioned
studies through the Water Research Commission (WRC) to assess potable water
quality, water distribution systems and disinfection, the result of which will
further inform my Department's future actions. A study has also been undertaken
to identify capacity needs in local authorities and the recommendations will
inform our support measures to local government. The Water Information Network,
which is a collaborative sector initiative are facilitating knowledge
dissemination of good practice so as to strengthen the knowledge base in the
water sector. These efforts contribute towards meeting the objective of
ensuring the safety of drinking water by improving the skills levels of those
responsible for treating and reticulating drinking water. I am encouraged by
the initiatives of the Department of Provincial and Local Government and
institutions such as the WRC, Water Institute for Southern Africa (WISA) and
the Institute for Municipal Engineers of South Africa (IMESA) that have
collaborated with us to ensure that technical capacity at local government
level is increased.
It has become clear that isolated problems over drinking water quality have
been used by companies marketing products as home water purification systems or
bottled water. By doing this South African tap water has been unjustly seen to
be of poor quality which has created confusion amongst the poor who might feel
it necessary to buy such products.
As part of our efforts to overcome these misconceptions we are implementing
a monitoring programme including in schools. Yesterday as part of World Water
Monitoring Day, my Department ran a programme in 40 schools whereby learners
were given water quality test kits, trained in how to use them and conduct
tests on water quality in their own local environment. These learners have been
asked to give feedback to their local municipality and DWAF on their findings.
Next year we look forward to greater numbers of schools participating in this
exciting initiative. Not only will they be supplying us with information but
also this initiative will encourage these learners to study water issues at a
tertiary level.
Honourable members, where water services authorities fail to comply with
supplying safe drinking water, DWAF will be able to quickly identify the
problems and support them to improve the situation. Last year the problems of
drinking water quality at Delmas were severe to the point where lives were lost
as a result of a typhoid outbreak. My Department along with the relevant
provincial government departments has been working with the local authority to
turn the situation around.
Madam Speaker, honourable members, we are committed to the provision of
quality drinking water in our country.
I thank you!
Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
19 October 2006
