National Water and Sanitation Master Plan necessary for growth
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) hosted the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan consultation in Bellville. This is a broader stakeholder consultation to enable all participants to make inputs into the new Water and Sanitation Master Plan. The master plan will assist in providing water and sanitation services and to establish a consolidated plan for water and sanitation management to meet future needs.
Deputy Director-General: Strategic and Special Projects Mr. Trevor Balzer says “the Water and Sanitation Master Plan is necessary because there is a rapidly growing and urbanizing population, meaning there is an increase in water requirements for socio-economic growth. Climate change means that there are warmer and drier months overall and longer and more extreme events such as droughts and floods, meaning there would be less water available.”
Balzer said the sector has got different documents guiding the provision on water. “These documents include the National Water Act and National Water Resource Strategy 2. The consolidation of these into one Master Plan will help government to realise the National Development Plan and reliable water and sanitation to everyone”, said Balzer.
The Master Plan is being developed to realize the goals enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa, National Development Plan as well as Sustainable Development Goals. The development of this plan comes at a time when the country is experiencing drought, with the Western Cape currently declared a disaster area.
The plan will also identify key challenges that hamper the provision of water and sanitation. Some of the challenges that impact negatively on the delivery of water and sanitation include the refurbishment of infrastructure development, neglect of operation and maintenance, poor planning for future water provision, skills shortage in the sector and a high percentage of non-revenue water.
Members of the public have until 31 January 2018 to make submissions or comments to the draft National Water and Sanitation Master Plan. The Water and Sanitation Master Plan document is available on the website.
The finalisation of the master plan will allow better planning for water and sanitation in the country, giving government an opportunity to deliver these services while realising the NDP.
The 2030 NDP goals seek to provide affordable and reliable to sufficient and safe water and hygienic sanitation.
“Water is Life, Sanitation is Dignity”
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
