Water Affairs and Forestry on free basic water roll out

5 July 2006

First introduced in July 2001 as a response to the government’s strategy to
alleviate poverty by, among other measures, providing free basic services to
the nation, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry’s (DWAF) Free Basic
Water (FBW) campaign is now benefiting from a major new thrust.

With the devolution of responsibility for FBW’s implementation to
municipalities and the inherent challenges which this process represents, the
training and operational support for Water Service Authorities and Water
Service Units has been speeded up. DWAF and the Department of Provincial and
Local Government (DPLG) now operate a working committee jointly to oversee the
implementation and co-ordinating of the free basic services programme at a
municipal level.

Implementing the FBW programme is a highly complex process, as a wide range
of national and local issues has to be addressed. Municipalities have different
circumstances, income and service level profiles which make a uniform approach
to FBW’s roll out almost impossible. In general, urban municipalities are
leading the way in their roll out programmes over their rural counterparts,
whose financial and infrastructural constraints are more pressing. Amongst the
issues which all municipalities face are financial (issues of sustainability
and efficiency), socio-political (communication and co-operation between all
stakeholders), institutional arrangements and technical and service level
delivery challenges.

But the definition and timeframe goals of FBW are clearly outlined. FBW is
defined as 25 litres of potable water per person per day supplied within 200
metres of a household in the case of a communal water point, or 6 000 litres of
potable water supplied per formal connection per month in the case of yard or
house connections. This is a minimum guideline only, and each local authority
is free to determine their respective ‘basic’ level of water which promotes
healthy living in their own socio-economic environments.

DWAF is at pains to differentiate Free Basic Water from free water, which it
still provides in some areas of extreme remoteness without adequate piping or
infrastructure. It should be made clear that in these areas, provision of some
free water does not compromise the department’s promise of Free Basic Water,
but offers an interim solution to households for whom, for the time being, they
are simply unable to implement a full FBW service.

Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Ms Lindiwe Hendriks, said the “Water
is a matter of life and death. It is both an instrument and a limiting factor
in poverty alleviation and economic recovery and inadequate access to water is
both a cause and consequence of poverty. In keeping with the Government’s
Millennium Goals, we are working towards the provision of Free Basic Water to
all South Africans by 2008.”

In order to assist both the public and municipalities in reaching these
goals, a new DWAF toll-free line has been launched. It provides information to
the public on Free Basic Water, its availability in callers' areas and or how
to ‘apply’ for it, at the same time as providing a support line to local
authorities who can seek technical and financial assistance in their capacities
as Water Service Providers.

In 2006 DWAF is approaching the FBW campaign with new vigour as it works
hard to assist its partners and stakeholders in meeting goals which they set
themselves five years ago.

DWAF toll-free line: 0800 200 200

Enqiries:
Rachelle Seymore
Tel: (012) 336 8250
Fax: (012) 324 6592
Cell: 082 941 4752
E-mail: SeymoreR@dwaf.gov.za

Kalinga Pelpola
Tel: (012) 336 8798
Fax: (012) 326 3348
Cell: 082 909 6696
E-mail: PAA@dwaf.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
5 July 2006