The DWS and Rand Water provide an update on the Sebokeng Regional Sewer Scheme

The Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water, the Gauteng Provincial Government, together with the Sedibeng District and Emfuleni Local Municipalities are working hard towards the resolution of the matters surrounding the state of the Vaal River and Vaal Dam.

In this regard it is important to understand the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder and role-player. The Department of Water and Sanitation, as led by Hon. Minister Gugile Nkwinti, has the primary responsibility to license and therefore regulate, whilst also taking responsibility for all raw water sources. The Minister is also mandated as per Sections 63 and 73 of the Water Services Act to take responsibility for the water and sanitation services within a municipality where there is a lack of financial and human capacity.

The Emfuleni Local Municipality as the Water Services Authority has the responsibility to avail water and sanitation services to all users within its environs. Rand Water is responsible for abstraction of raw water and the treatment thereof to potable level. Further, Rand Water does act as an Implementing Agent on behalf of the DWS or government as and when directed.

A number of issues that surround the non-performance of particularly the Sebokeng Regional Sewer Scheme (SRSS) are being looked into and proper planning towards their resolution is being put in place. This includes on-going engagement with the local community to update it on progress and the importance of the scheme working. This resulted in the blockade of the Scheme being lifted and the technical staff being allowed back on site.

In order to ensure the security of this very important infrastructure, Minister Nkwinti has taken a decision to approach the President so as to declare the SRSS a national key point. This will lead to not just heightened security around the facility but its operations not being interrupted by civil strife.

A major shortfall has been in the ineffective operation and maintenance (O&M) of the plant by the Local Municipality. The operations and maintenance of any infrastructure is critical as it determines the kind of effluent that is derived from it and its impact not just on the water-courses but on the environment as well.

Following on the Minister’s Budget Vote earlier in the year, Minister Nkwinti will revert back to Parliament to find condonement of the intended reprioritization as envisaged to look at ensuring that not just Module 6 of the SRSS is completed, but that Modules 2 � 5 are also brought back to full capacity. All of this will lead to the next stage of the construction and commissioning of Module 7 in time.

It will be important that all the work around the SRSS will need to be supported by ensuring that the other pump stations that feed into it are also fully functional, i.e. all of the feeder pump stations.

Whilst the technical work is envisaged to go full steam ahead, this has to be supported by the requisite political and institutional solutions within the affected municipalities. What is needed is that whether there is a change of the political guard or not, the basic requirements of infrastructure development and that which is in place should not be compromised.

Source: Government of South Africa