The Department of Water Affairs on Wednesday supplied MPs with a timetable showing key dates in their plan to reform the way water is supplied to users in South Africa, a process it hopes to complete by 2013.
The plan aims to shift the primary responsibility for provision of water services from national government to more than 200 local and regional water service authorities (WSAs).
Briefing the National Assembly’s water affairs committee, water services sector development manager Marie Brisley-Clarvis told members the go-ahead for the reform of water service institutions had been given by the Cabinet in 2003.
The process is being driven by a ”bottom-up approach”, and involves the transformation of existing institutions rather than the creation of new ones.
The department will ”look at what is appropriate on a case-by-case basis”, she told MPs.
According to the timetable, the final draft reform strategy will be completed by the end of next month. It will be followed by a national indaba, whereafter the strategy will be finalised, and priority areas identified.
The Cabinet’s approval will be sought in October next year, and, if this is obtained, implementation can start in the November. All regional reforms will be completed by 2013.
One key element of the plan involves the cross-subsidisation of poor areas by grouping them with those that are better off. – Sapa