Programme director
MEC Kegakilwe
Honourable Mayor
Councillors
Distinguished guests
All government Officials
Ladies and gentlemen,
This is progress. This is infrastructure that the apartheid system did not want to pay for. This is a way of bringing development to the people. This is the launch of an intervention that will deal with the challenge of poverty alleviation. We went to two households of ladies over fifty years of age who are using a flushing toilet for the first time.
I encourage the leaders to open up and tell the people about the process of bringing water schemes and developments to the communities. I am very pleased to be here on this important occasion to inaugurate the Maquassi Hills Bulk Water Supply Augmentation project. This is one of the first large projects completed through the new Regional bulk Infrastructure programme which started two and a half years ago.
The project is a joint effort between the local authority, Department of Water Affairs (DWA) through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant and Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, Sedibeng Water and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). The total cost of this project is about R158 million and it took almost three years to be completed. The project will strengthen the regional bulk water supply to the Maquassi Hill municipality and includes 56 kilometres of large diameter pipes, a three mega litre reservoir, pump stations and two elevated tanks.
This project will now address the water loss problem and bring much needed services to our people in our far flung rural areas. This is a real demonstration of what can be achieved when we hold hands. There were a number of different role players that enabled us to come to this point to day.
Up until recently Maquassi Hills municipality received its water from six boreholes as well as a bulk supply system where water is abstracted from the Vaal River and purified at Bulkfontein and then pumped by Sedibeng Water to Leeudoringstad. Water pumped from the Vaal River has reached its maximum capacity and severe restrictions had to be implemented.
The increase in demand was driven by the rise in the number of services through the eradication of 3 949 bucket systems, the development of 4 445 new stands and the urbanisation of rural people seeking employment and a better lifestyle. The project is now complete and I believe water delivery started a few months ago to serve the communities.
Since this is the first inauguration of a project funded through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) that I am attending, I would like to take this opportunity to say a few things about RBIG and the regional bulk programme. Currently the Grant is in its third year of implementation and we are certain that it will continue for at least several more years until most of the regional infrastructure bulk needs have been addressed. The Grant started during the 2007/08 financial year when National Treasury provided the department with the budget for the implementation of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant for Water Services.
This responsibility is based on the department's role as the custodian of water resources and the leader and regulator of the water services sector, whereby the department has to act as intermediary to facilitate integrated planning and implementation of such large multi institutional and multi year regional bulk infrastructure projects through the involvement of all stakeholders.
Programme director, ladies and gentlemen, bulk infrastructure is a critical element of water services infrastructure and an integrated part of water services management. In the previous two years a total budget of approximately R750 million has been utilised. The current committed budget is R611 million and the budget allocated for 2010/11 is R839 million. So far five projects have been completed, 23 projects are in construction phase, eleven projects are in tender/design phase and there are 47 feasibility studies that have been undertaken. The budget allocated may appear a lot but it is a mere fraction of the total need for regional bulk infrastructure in South Africa which is estimated to exceed more than R70 billion.
The situation demands effectiveness and efficiency; and we need to ensure that we achieve the maximum benefit from the money we have available. The RBIG fund is dedicated only to fund the social component of water services that will be provided from the regional bulk infrastructure. This social consumption includes the domestic consumption of consumers who are considered indigent and the consumption for schools and clinics and other social related water users.
The contribution of the cost for the infrastructure for economic water related usage must be funded by the municipality or private enterprises. We would like to urge all key private sector entities to support government in contributing to these infrastructure needs and recognise that if they are to be assured surety of water supply to meet their growing needs, they will need to contribute to the large capital costs. This appeal also goes to the lending and financial institutions as well as private water utilities that can play a significant role in co-funding such projects through appropriate agreements and partnerships.
Department of Water Affairs is working through various programmes to assist municipalities achieve their constitutional responsibility of reticulation of water and sanitation services, not only in supporting the development of infrastructure projects but also in institutional capacity support, effective planning and effective management of service delivery.
Ladies and gentlemen, this however is not an easy task given the many challenges of water scarcity, urban planning and our political background. Our key strategy for success must be cooperation, collaboration and partnerships. There was evidence of Inter Governmental Relations (IGR) in the implementation of this project; looking at this public private partnership with DBSA. We commend the Department of Water Affairs, Maquassi Hills Municipality, the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Sedibeng Water Board and other role players for invaluable contribution in making this project a success.
Although we congratulate the municipality in its efforts to upgrade its service delivery to its consumers and for their dedication, planning and perseverance to complete this project, we would also like to caution you that you cannot now sit back and relax. The sustainability and effectiveness of this project depends largely on the effective management of the service delivery and your consumers. The operating costs of the water supplied through this scheme are high and it is imperative that consumers are taught to use this precious resource sparingly and not exceed what they can afford.
We are committed to ensure service delivery to all and to ensure our people have access to clean and safe water, but the community must now also do its part. I would like to challenge both the community and the municipality to ensure that water wastage and inefficient water use from this project are kept to a minimum. Economically active consumers who wish to use more than the free basic water must pay for this service, and I would encourage the municipality to be tough with consumers who do not pay or who waste water
Through Masibambane European Union Donor funding the Department of Water Affairs has supported the municipality to the tune of three million rand to implement Water Conservation and Water Demand Management projects. Significant progress has been made since 2004. This process has led to the reduction of the non revenue water by 20% to date. This was achieved through partnership with DBSA which continues to play an important role in socio-economic development of our communities.
Public participation is imperative to the success of any project where rigorous consultation is to be made with consumers to identify their needs and address them accordingly. Regular and clear communication to consumers is required to correct negative perception and promote positive actions in terms of water conservation and demand management. Investment in asset management should become a much higher priority for municipalities as failure to implement it has a potential to contribute significantly towards non revenue water as well as "commercial" losses.
Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude, today is one of those occasions that make one feel a sense of pride and achievement that our collaborative efforts between all spheres of government, government institutions, private sector and the communities we serve can yield tangible results. The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) sees water as a critical tool to contribute towards economic growth and we must see how to use this scarce and precious resource to its maximum benefit. Water is also a tool in the anti-poverty campaign through the growing of food gardens and upliftment of households.
Well done to all concerned and I am sure that this project will make a difference to the lives of many people, that this project will take us a step closer in changing the lives of people where they live and of course we can then feel comfortable that we are addressing the plight of the rural and the poor.
I thank you all.
Issued by: Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
29 September 2009
