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4 December 2008

Ladies and gentlemen of the press

1. Introduction

The water situation in our country has been the subject of much public discussion over the past year. Without going into the debate on whether this constitutes a crisis or not, I would like to outline the actions that are being taken to ensure that South Africa has sufficient water now and in the future for both social purposes and economic development, and the actions taken to ensure that this water is of good quality.

Cabinet has discussed the challenges facing the water sector and has endorsed the actions that are being undertaken.

2. Addressing the challenges

* Universal access to water: Universal access to water and sanitation services to be completed by 2014. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) is looking at innovative ways of speeding up access to water and sanitation services especially in areas where communities live in close proximity to dams but do not receive water services.

* Illegal water use (both illegal abstraction and the illegal discharge of effluents into rivers and dams): DWAF has a programme to deal with illegal abstraction (initially focused on the upper Vaal River) and combating pollution. The roll out of this programme commenced with a high profile water compliance 'blitz enforcement week' at end of November 2008. Going forward DWAF is collaborating with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) to combat pollution.

* Water quality in rivers and dams: Implementation of the "River Health Programme," dealing with polluters (as above), remediation in specific dams (already undertaken in Hartbeespoort Dam), more resources to be put into dealing with the polluters, and launch of the 'Green Drop' certificate to recognise cities and towns that comply with the required standards on the discharge of waste water.

* Drinking water quality: The five percent of municipalities who do not comply with the health aspects of drinking water quality standards as well as those that do not report yet to be brought to the required standards of drinking water quality. DWAF is preparing to launch a 'Blue Drop' certificate to recognise cities and towns that comply with the required standards of drinking water quality. This initiative is aimed at giving confidence to citizens and visitors that the water coming from their taps is safe for consumption.

* Water conservation and demand management: Co-operation with and support to municipalities on the implementation of Water conservation and demand management actions, such as leak minimisation, metering of water use, replacement of old infrastructure, effective billing and cost recovery, promotion of water efficient plumbing devices, (low water consumption shower roses, taps, etc), public education and awareness raising campaigns, all to conserve and to promote water conservation. We are also working with industry regarding the introduction of a Water Efficiency Labelling System.

In the agricultural sector measurement of water use and water efficient irrigation systems will be promoted. Changes in attitude and behaviour towards water conservation and water use efficiency are required by all water consumers, including the industry, mining and power generation sectors. Water conservation must be successfully implemented by all water users to optimise the use of our current water supplies and if successful could postpone the need for the augmentation of some of our water supplies.
* Skills and human resources: The use of international experts, the deployment of engineers to municipalities, the establishment within DWAF of a training academy and internship programme for young graduates, awarding bursaries to study water related qualifications, and running a youth programme to create awareness and stimulate interest in water issues has reached 460 000 learners. These actions are in addition to broader initiatives to increase the number of engineers, technicians, artisans and scientists in the country; and co-operation with Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) and South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to ensure municipalities have adequate skills and capacity to deal with water and sanitation services.

* Water infrastructure (reticulation/municipal): In addition to the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) allocations and the use of own resources by municipalities, almost R4 billion has been allocated through the bulk infrastructure grant to deal with the upgrading and augmenting of municipal infrastructure. DWAF is also implementing compliance monitoring and enforcement of regulations to ensure infrastructure meets the necessary standards.

* Water infrastructure (water resources): Between 2004 to 2012 major water resources infrastructure projects to the value of R10,1 billion would have been completed.

3. Augmentation of the Vaal

As part of its planning work DWAF has developed an integrated strategy to effectively manage the system. Our main findings is that in order to avoid shortage of supply in the future and meet the growing water demand and water security within the Vaal River System the following actions need to be implemented: eradicate unlawful irrigation; implement water conservation and demand management with a focus on loss management; treat and use effluent; implement water quality measures and very importantly prepare for the next augmentation scheme.

Detailed investigations have indicated two competitive water transfer schemes to augment the water resources of the Vaal River System, viz a second phase of the existing Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) and second phase of the existing transfer scheme from the Thukela River.

I am pleased to announce that as part of our efforts to ensure greater water availability for the Vaal River System, Cabinet yesterday approved a major new water infrastructure project, namely the implementation of Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. This project, subject to the conclusion of a protocol with the government of Lesotho, will at a projected cost of R7,3 billion include construction of the Polihali Dam in Lesotho and is a strategic intervention to ensure the water security of Gauteng and the rest of the Vaal River water supply area in the most cost effective manner. The construction of this dam and other infrastructure will take place alongside water conservation measures in the Vaal, improving water quality and curbing of illegal water use.

The Vaal River System is considered the most important water resource in South Africa as it supplies water to 60 percent of the country's economy, 45 percent of the population of the country, the whole of Gauteng and Northern Cape (Kimberley and Upington), mines and industries on the Mpumalanga Highveld, the bulk of ESKOM's coal-fired power stations on the Western Mpumalanga Highveld, North-West and Free State goldfields, agricultural users in the Gauteng, North-West, Free State and Northern Cape provinces and it also supplies the strategically coal-to-liquid facilities on the coal-fields of the Highveld.

Gauteng and adjacent urban areas continue to experience rapid growth in water demand and it is projected that Gauteng could increase its water requirements by more than 30 percent in the next twenty years, and significant intervention measures are necessary to ensure sufficient water, of the required quality, is made available to support community and industrial water needs, including associated energy generation, and agriculture.

There is significant unlawful water use in the catchment of the Vaal Dam and DWAF is implementing a programme to have this unlawful use removed by 2011. A well structured water conservation and water demand management programme will also be implemented in the Vaal area with a focus on water losses in the system as well as in individual households, with a target to reduce losses by 15 percent. It will start before the middle of 2009 with completion by mid 2013.

The motivation for selecting the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 as the preferred option for the augmentation of the Vaal include: the project has a low energy requirement in that water can be transferred under gravity to South Africa without pumping - unlike the Tugela option, which is energy intensive as water must be pumped from the Thukela River over the escarpment. Furthermore the existing hydro-power generation capacity of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1 can also be increased. The project would bring substantial benefits to Lesotho as well as a regional benefit, as it will mean the prevention of increased carbon emissions. We have been in discussions with the government of Lesotho who are strongly in favour of the project.

The Vaal is part of an international river system and the other countries (Namibia and Botswana) that form part of this river system have already had been notified of the joint intention of South Africa and Lesotho regarding this project. These countries will be kept abreast of further developments.

The next steps would require the development of a detailed project implementation plan, to be approved by both countries, and the necessary Protocols between the countries concluded. Like with Phase 1 the project would funded off-budget i.e. funds would be borrowed from capital markets.

4. Conclusion

In conclusion, there has been much speculation about the quality of drinking water in the country. South Africans should not worry. Our tap water is still rated among the best in the world. In addition South Africa is one of only a few countries where one can drink water directly from tap.

On the availability of water, while South Africa is the 30th driest country and is subject to sporadic droughts, there is currently sufficient water in our rivers, dams and our underground water to provide for socio economic growth and development. In addition to the phase two of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project there are other projects in place to ensure the timely development of infrastructure to ensure future water supply to the growing economy. We must however take care and conserve this precious resource so that there is some for all forever.

Thank you.

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
4 December 2008