WATER LEAKS A STRATEGIC ISSUE

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1 WATER LEAKS A STRATEGIC ISSUE Mike Muller Commissioner, National Planning Commission Visiting Adjunct Professor, Wits School of Governance

2 HOW LEAK CONTROL CAN HELP YOUR MAYOR 2

3 NATIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION LEAKAGE LOSSES ARE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE! MORE IMPORTANT THAN LESOTHO HIGHLANDS (TRYING TO GET AS MUCH WATER) AFFECTS MORE COMMUNITIES SHOULD RELEASE MONEY FOR OTHER THINGS DONE PROPERLY, WILL IMPROVE OVERALL SERVICE DELIVERY 3

4 Water-management strategies Reduce demand: Reducing growth in water demand is just as important as increasing its supply. Current planning assumes it will be possible to achieve an average reduction in water demand of 15 percent below baseline levels in urban areas by Detailed targets have been set for different areas. Achieving demand reductions on this scale will require programmes to reduce water leakage in distribution networks and improve efficient domestic and commercial water use. The Commission proposes running a national programme to support local and sectoral initiatives to reduce water demand and improve water-use efficiency. Demand-management projects with merit should be given priority and regarded as being on par with water-supply expansion projects in terms of importance.

5 Detailed targets have been set for different areas Need to know what we are trying to achieve Must track our performance To do this, have to improve management (only successful if the mayor has more money to spend) NEED PERFORMANCE BASED APPROACHES 5

6 SALGA REVOLVING FUND? PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACTS? (FROM DWS S STRATEGIC PARTNERS) NOT EASY, WATER USE VARIES WITH MONTH, WITH WEATHER AND ECONOMY GOES UP WITH POPULATION WILL NEED AN OBJECTIVE, INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY TO VERIFY BUT, FOR MAYOR TO GET MORE RESOURCES, THERE MUST BE REAL SAVINGS HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? 6

7 WORRY ABOUT YOUR MAYOR! AHEAD OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS- DON T CREATE UNNECESSARY TENSION:- DON T ALLOW YOUR TOWNS TO RUN OUT OF WATER FOCUS ON PHYSICAL LEAKS, COME BACK TO NRW 7

8 DON T WANT HER TO LOSE THE ELECTION, SO:- MAKE SURE YOUR MUNIS DON T RUN OUT OF WATER WORRY ABOUT YOUR MAYOR 8

9 NATIONAL WATER AND SANITATION SUMMIT AUGUST 2014 F The state of SA s water resources 1 August 2014 Presented by: Trevor Balzer 9

10 12 of 19 WMA require intervention

11 WATER RESOURCE STRESSED TOWNS Category Count of schemes % of schemes no shortage > 10 yrs % water resource shortage 5-10 yrs % water resource shortage 1-5 yrs % water resource currently in deficit % unknown 65 7% Grand Total % 30% require urgent water resource security intervention 11

12 THERE IS A FUNDING CHALLENGE - CURRENT RBIG PROJECTS Type Regional bulk Internal supply Sanitation Total for 10 yrs Present RBIG Funding Needs R75b R60b R37b R172 b = R17b/a R2,56 b Location of current RBIG projects 12

13 DON T WANT HER TO LOSE THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION, SO:- DISTINGUISH BETWEEN NON REVENUE WATER AND PHYSICAL LEAKS FIX HOUSEHOLD PLUMBING AS WELL AS PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE DON T CONFRONT UNAUTHORIZED CONNECTIONS (FIX AND RECORD THEM!) (CONSIDER COMMUNITY BLOCK METERS?) PUBLISH RESULTS TELL COMMUNITIES WHAT S HAPPENING AND WHY GET THEM WORKING ON THE PROGRAMME AS WELL DEVELOP APPROACH TO UNAUTHORIZED CONNECTIONS AFTER ELECTIONS SUGGEST SHE USE MONEY SAVED TO FURTHER IMPROVE SERVICES WORRY ABOUT YOUR MAYOR 13

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15 10 of these a year = R

16 IS SA SLIDING INTO A WATER CRISIS? No, provided that we (DWS) and our partners jointly work to achieve: Effective implementation of WC/WDM measures, large-scale effluent re-use, curbing of unlawful water use promotion of large-scale and properly managed groundwater use arresting deteriorating water quality and timely decisions on appropriate investments

17 In summary. Water conservation and demand management is a critical intervention to keep SA water secure Physical leak control, an important step Done properly, will improve service delivery generally Suggest that performance-based approaches are needed Politically challenging, particularly around elections, so:- Emphasise need to avoid water shortages Fix physical leaks before unauthorised connections

18 THANK YOU! Even the new Minister will be happy! 18