eThekwini adopts water turnaround strategy to halve unpaid usage

The eThekwini municipality in KwaZulu-Natal says it has adopted a water turnaround strategy to almost halve unpaid water usage over five years.

eThekwini mayor, Cyril Xaba says R9.3 billion will be put aside over the next three years to implement the strategy.

He says at the moment the city only receives 85 cents for every rand being spent on buying bulk water and distributing it.

Xaba says informal settlements and rural areas are currently receiving free water, something they aim to change by introducing a flat rate.

“On the Ingonyama Trust land, we will create addresses for properties in rural areas, install water metres so that we can start collecting revenue in these areas, and improve service delivery. This will also assist us to identify people who are indigent and qualify for free basic services. Before we implement this programme there will be a thorough consultation process with Amakhosi and all relevant stakeholders.”

eThekwini city manager, Musa Mbhele says once they start measuring water use or loss at various points, the municipality will be able to prioritise which areas need the most urgent attention.

“Even the people that were paying and are in the formal housing, like in the townships, they themselves are hiring unqualified plumbers, they join directly from our supply in the network. Because they feel why are they paying when the majority of people, in fact, all people in the informal settlements are not paying. So they are saying: well you are drinking the water that I’m paying for. I’m also getting a plumber to join.”