Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation; (Phil Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images)
WHealth Minister Senzo Mchunu called on the water sector to prioritize providing adequate services to the public.
Speaking in KwaZulu-Natal this week, Mr Mchunu said his department was aware of the issue.
Water problems persist in many parts of the country and we were looking for solutions.
Part of the solution involves making strategic decisions and comprehensively and carefully planning for the country's future water security.
Recent floods and eThekwini water troubles have left residents of Otongasi, Phoenix and Verulam without water since last year, with residents blaming the neglect of the metro.
Mr Mchunu said the city needed to make its water supply system more resilient to take into account the risk of flooding.
“We are supplying raw water to eThekwini in excess of the amount required by the license and this is a problem. This is mainly due to water loss. The amount of water that eThekwini loses,” he said. said.
He added that the region needs to repair leaks, seal systems, improve supply and increase efficiency “so that everyone in eThekwini has a reliable water supply.”
The ministry said it is working with municipal leadership to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
“However, we are deeply concerned that the situation is being exacerbated by heavy rains that continue to hit parts of the state and cause extensive damage to infrastructure, including water.”
Mchunu said the metro must provide water to citizens as mandated by the constitution.
“We urge local authorities to work urgently and decisively, even if they have to work around the clock, to resolve the issue and ensure that services to affected communities are fully restored. We urge them to take appropriate action,” Mchunu said.
eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said on Thursday R1.2 billion had been set aside to address infrastructure issues contributing to water scarcity.
The ministry's latest report, released last month, highlighted the dire situation of water quality in the country, which is worsening due to breakdowns in water infrastructure.
The Blue Drop audit report ensures that water authorities are accountable for providing safe drinking water.
The report noted that 67.6% of wastewater treatment plants are nearing failure, with increasing losses of water and treated water lost through leaks or unexplained.
Several water systems were operating near or above their design capacity, and there were signs of serious deficiencies in monitoring and compliance systems.
“This has made it impossible to resolve the problem… water supply systems in 23 regions across the country are in poor and critical condition,” the report said.
Speaking at a recent summit, Mr Mchunu said it was important for the water sector to prioritize professionalism and service delivery to the public to address declining performance.
Mchunu said denying clean drinking water and a clean environment violates people's fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution's Bill of Rights.
“It is therefore imperative that the water sector takes immediate action to address these challenges,” he said.
Climate change is expected to increase precipitation variability across the country and reduce average precipitation, particularly in western South Africa.
Rising temperatures are also expected to increase demand for agricultural water, reducing the country's ability to rely on rain-fed agriculture.
The International Panel on Climate Change has warned that climate-induced changes in the water cycle and droughts will increase across Southern Africa over the next decade.
