Water Services Authorities Research Articles

Unveiling the Hidden Power of Water Services Development Plans

South African Water Services Authorities (WSAs) have been grappling with the challenge of providing sustainable water and sanitation services which is a product of the sector’s inadequate planning and practices systems. Consequently, many communities which are the end-users endure inadequate access to sustainable water and sanitation services. Thus, establishing effective planning mechanisms becomes crucial to ensure the provision of adequate and sustainable water and sanitation services, and this is the central problem of analysis and prescription for this paper. Notably, the paper recommends an already existing systems approach to local governance that takes advantage of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to drive the modernisation of water and sanitation planning processes which are the Municipal Strategic Self-Assessment (MuSSA) and the Water Services Development Plan (WSDP). Through an emic perspective, systematic search of literature, and document analysis, this paper examines the 2022 MuSSA reports of Western Cape and Gauteng, to identify the challenges faced by the provinces. The findings reveal deficiencies in the Western Cape's investment in asset renewal, infrastructure management, reduction of non-revenue water, and adherence to national standards. Similarly, Gauteng requires comprehensive reforms to address financial instability, asset management, and regulatory compliance. The paper also examines the progress of WSDP development in the 2022-2027 cycle, specifically focusing on the 2022-2023 financial cycle to assess WSAs' compliance. Results indicate that, of 25 WSAs in the Western Cape, only 10 have initiated WSDP development, while 15 lag behind. In Gauteng, only 2 of 9 WSAs have begun the process. Notably, both provinces are behind schedule, having been expected to initiate WSDP development in 2022. The findings of this paper, give an invaluable snippet of the water services planning mechanisms at the local government to ensure proper monitoring and adequate intervention at a local level whilst ensuring the streamlining of resource allocation and recommends that the national government reflects on its shortcomings of ensuring legislative compliance by local government.

A regulatory framework for bottled water quality monitoring: A case of Emfuleni local municipality

BackgroundThe quality of drinking water has recently become of utmost concern to consumers worldwide, especially in areas where Water Service Authorities (WSAs) failed to provide safe water. To combat this challenge, government entities regulate water to ensure that safe water is provided. The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has experienced cases of water contamination by human excretion, whereby communities were affected. As a result, there was a sharp increase in bottled water (BW) use, which however gave rise to unregulated and counterfeit versions of popular brands. This situation poses threats to public health. AimThis study sought to determine the regulation of drinking water and to assess whether environmental health practitioners (EHPs) monitor the quality of water sources (BW and tap water) in ELM as outlined by the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards (NEHNS). SettingsThe study was conducted in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in South Africa. MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional study design was employed in this research. Fifteen online questionnaires using a Google Forms survey were distributed amongst all EHPs servicing ELM. Secondary data that included the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Service Delivery Budget Implentation Plan (SDBIP) for the 2017–2020 financial years were also evaluated, specifically for water quality monitoring (tap and bottled water). The dataset was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. ResultsDue to complexity in the legislation and NEHNS in relation to Municipal Health Services (MHS), bottled water was not sampled at all. A number of EHPs were also not conversant with the regulations governing BW. Moreover, NEHNS consider bottled water as food, which does not fall under the MHS. ConclusionThere should be clarity in the legislation to ensure that bottled water monitoring is intensified to protect public health within the WSAs. ContributionThe findings of this study could assist policy-makers to make informed decisions on water quality monitoring, as well as clarify legislative issues on bottled water.

The influence of corporate governance practices on public sector sustainable development: A developing economy study

The study examines the relationship between corporate governance practices (CGPs) on the public sector’s investment in water management (IWM). The critical question addressed in the paper was how good CGPs can provide a vehicle for increasing IWM in the context of local government. The need for addressing an underinvestment gap in local government is necessitated by the surge in poor CGPs that continue to constrain efforts to attract and manage water sector investments (WSIs) (Jacobs, 2019). The study employed secondary data (2009–2019) concerning a sample of eight South African metropolitan municipalities (SAMMs) collected from the annual reports. The multivariate regression analysis is employed using the pooled ordinary least squares (POLS) and feasible generalised least squares (FGLS) models. The results revealed that gender equity and external audit outcomes had a positive and significant relationship with IWM except for human resources which shows an insignificant effect. The results have important implications for water service authorities (WSAs), the public sector, and policymakers to incorporate good CGPs for improved management of water investments to eliminate water provisioning challenges. The research findings acknowledge the degree of adherence to good CGPs requires endless attention. Future studies should focus on ensuring local municipalities comply with the existing water provisioning governance framework to eliminate shortfalls in IWM.

Water Services Authorities Capacity in Providing Access to Water and Sanitation in Limpopo Province, South Africa

There has been an on-going debate regarding the effectiveness and capacity of Water Service Authorities in providing quality water service in South Africa to local citizens. As Limpopo province was preferred as a case study, it is evident that the province has been experiencing several violent water service delivery protests in different localities. The methodological approach employed was a qualitative approach reinforced by documentary review as a data source in qualitative research. Purposively, 46 participants were sampled and interviewed. In addition, document analysis of literatures and audit performance of Water Service Authorities in Limpopo province were exploited. The employed data regression investigation to scrutinize the data, containing the Auditor- General of South Africa’s (AGSA) amalgamated annual report for municipal for the fiscal years 2009/10 to 2015/16. It gave observable elements which were subjected to regression analysis. The findings show that quality of governance significantly affects the achievement of a clean audit at a significance value which translates into poor service delivery to citizens. In reviewing the existing documents, a better understanding was realised which assisted in formulating questions for interviews or develop an observation guide. The challenges confronting the water service authorities are not limited to inadequate administrative capacity to function and manage finances, lack of skilled technicians, service delivery backlogs; aging of water infrastructure and lack of infrastructure maintenance. These findings underscored a need for Water Service Authorities to assess continuously the level of contentment to their beneficiaries concerning the basic provision of water and sanitation services.

Commodification, water infrastructure, and methodologies for counting water losses in South Africa

ABSTRACT This article takes up the story of a numerical indicator of system water losses called Non-Revenue Water (NRW), which is becoming an important measure for benchmarking South African Water Service Authorities (WSAs). The aim of this paper is, in the first place, to document the adoption of NRW as a Performance Indicator (PI), showing how it reflects a shift in the domestic regulatory framework in South Africa and the assumed priorities of water managers in line with the dominant governmental rationality in the sector. However, in drawing this discussion towards the theme of commodification I also show that the NRW audit enables a new way of seeing and speaking about “public water,” while the story of its uptake tells us a something about the development of contemporary governmental norms, and the forms of the resistance that shape it. On the one hand then, the article links the enthusiasm for NRW auditing in South Africa to a wider movement in the development and usage of audits and indicators as technologies of government at a distance. On the other hand, and stepping to a higher level of abstraction, I argue that the uptake of NRW must be read in relation to a contested set of processes marked by struggles over the commodification of water, and which sometimes turns up in the numbers.

Economic benefit of ensuring uninterrupted water supply during prolonged electricity disruptions – City of Tshwane case study

Mitigating the impact of electricity disruptions on water supply was investigated as a case study on the City of Tshwane. This study found that current institutional arrangements between electricity suppliers (Eskom), water service providers and water service authorities are insufficient. Therefore, a Risk Analysis and Mitigation Framework of Integrated Water and Electricity Systems, or RAMFIWES, was developed. Risks associated with water supply interruptions due to electricity disruption events were analysed. Risk categories that were addressed are short-term disruptions of less than one day, medium-term disruptions of up to a week and long-term electricity disruptions up to a month or even longer. The direct economic benefits of ensuring uninterrupted water supply in the event of electricity disruption events were analysed through cost versus benefit analyses. It was found that the direct benefit/cost ratio of supplying water during electricity disruption events is 5.6 for wet-industries and an exceptional 117 for other economic sectors in Tshwane. The overall benefit/cost ratio is 15.5. This benefit is possible at a low increase in the normal municipal bills of only 0.5%.

The All Towns Reconciliation Strategies a partnership between water resource management and water services

Abstract In 2012, the South African Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) initiated a study: Continuation of the Northern Planning Region's All Towns Reconciliation Strategies: Phase 1. This study reviewed, prioritised and updated the rudimentary All Towns strategies initially developed by DWS in 2011. The purpose of the strategies was to reconcile water requirements with available resources for the 2011–2035 planning horizon by estimating the projected water requirements, determining available water resources (surface and groundwater) and developing a water balance. Recommendations were made to conserve, manage and administer local water sources as well as to augment water supplies from other sources if required. The recommendations provided actions and options for implementation by the relevant Water Services Authorities and the DWS at a local and regional level, providing the opportunity for integrated and coordinated planning. Bulk and reticulation metering, the implementation of water conservation and demand management programmes and recommendations on the updating of water use allocations were prioritised. Detailed studies required to determine the most feasible water resource augmentation options to ensure a positive water balance were identified. The study coordinated efforts by officials and stakeholders representing both the water resources and water services sectors. The prioritised strategies defined the deficit or surplus of the water resources per water source on a technical level, but also highlighted the need for planning and coordination between the water resources and water services sectors. The strategies are not legally mandated documents, but represent some of the best efforts spanning across various sectors to realise coordinated water infrastructure planning in DWS’ Northern Planning Region. The use of the documents in the local, district and national planning environments should be promoted for integrated planning, and it may be fitting to incorporate the All Towns Reconciliation Strategy documents as a valuable resource to inform the water legislation currently being reviewed.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the National Benchmarking Initiative (NBI) in improving the productivity of water services authorities in South Africa

Water shortages, public demonstrations and lack of service delivery have plagued many South African water services authorities (WSAs) for a number of years. From 2004–2007 the National Benchmarking Initiative (NBI) was implemented to improve the performance, efficiency and sustainability of WSAs. The current study demonstrates the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist productivity index (MPI) for the assessment of the effectiveness of the NBI in achieving these goals. Furthermore, the MPI is used to assess the impact that the termination of the NBI had on the efficiency of the WSAs in the years that followed. In conclusion, the MPI is identified as a valuable tool for regulators and policy makers that wish to assess the performance of their benchmarking initiatives.

Non-Metropolitan Drinking Water Suppliers’ Response to the Diagnostic Tool for Non-Technical Compliance in Limpopo, South Africa

Without the planning of non-technical issues, water treatment plants may face challenges in sustaining safe drinking water. Parameters such as the planning of financial resources, human resources, a lack of professional process controllers, poor working conditions, staff shortages and a lack of appropriate training of process controllers contribute to the underperformance of drinking water treatment plants. This study aimed at applying the Diagnostic Tool for Non-Technical Compliance to assess the compliance of small drinking water plants with management norms. Six water treatments (Vondo water scheme, Malamulele, Mutshedzi, Mutale regional water treatment plant, Tshedza and Tshedza package plant) were selected from the Vhembe district municipality of the Limpopo province in South Africa. From the abovementioned non-technical parameters, the results showed that during the first assessment period (August 2008 and June 2009) selected water treatment plants scored between 53% and 68% and fell under Class 2, indicating serious challenges requiring attention and improvement. During the second assessment period (November and December 2010), a slight improvement was observed as all plants scored between 72% and 80%, falling under the Class 2 category. Even after corrective actions and remeasurement, none of the plants met the compliance standards, which range from 90% to 100% to obtain the Class 1 compliance standard. The study recommended that tactical and strategic plans that clearly define the operational procedures, process controlling, financial planning, maintenance culture, emergency preparedness and regular monitoring and evaluation should be entrenched for the smooth running of the small water treatment plants. Furthermore, all water services providers and water services authorities should apply the diagnostic tools as developed, which provides guidance on a stepwise procedure on plant operations and management on a daily basis.

European urban water crisis: the management dimension

Between 2009 and 2013, the EAU&3E research program gathered several French research teams and water utilities, with the aim to provide a scientific answer to the following question: are our water services sustainable, even in the heart of Europe? The goal of this project was develop knowledge and improve methods to achieve a sustainable management for water services. Our ambition was to go beyond the separate analysis of each dimension of sustainable development (economic, social, environmental): in parallel and together, we tried to add knowledge on 4 major dimensions (namely: environment, economics, equity and governance), applied to a set of empirical case studies in France and in other OECD countries. We specifically focused on: a) the recent decline in water consumption and its feedbacks with water tariffs and water utilities' financial balance; b) the long term asset management issue, related to the necessary renewal of aging water infrastructures; c) the redistributive effects, including growing water poverty due to counter-intuitive effects of water tariffs; d) the new territorial scaling options for water service management (up-scaling, downscaling, technology mix), including multi-level governance to improve the resilience of urban water supply and to foster the participation of water users. Lastly, we synthesized our findings in a set of scenarios on upcoming possibilities for future water service management in European cities. Forecasting offers many interesting tools to support water services authorities and operating companies in its decisions and to better apprehend the sustainable/unsustainable paths for its future. In this paper we focus on large cities in France (Paris) and Spain (Madrid and Barcelona).

A critical look at South Africa’s Green Drop Programme

In this paper we briefly reflect on the different legislation and types of regulatory mechanisms that South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has in place to try to improve the performance and compliance of water services authorities (WSAs) in the controversial wastewater services sector. In particular, we focus on DWS’s incentive-based mechanism, the National Green Drop Certification Programme (Green Drop Programme), and evaluate the achievements and challenges associated with its implementation to date. While there has been considerable improvement in performance in all areas of the programme since its inception in 2009, much still needs to be done in order to address the dire situation the country’s wastewater services sector finds itself in. Challenges facing the Green Drop Programme and the municipalities implementing the programme include: lack of human resource capacity to prepare effective corrective action plans and/or wastewater risk abatement plans; lack of finances for mainstreaming of wastewater treatment in municipal decision-making; lack of forward planning; problematic bureaucratic processes; complex relationship between some municipalities and DWS; theft, vandalism and misuse of wastewater treatment infrastructure and not enough transparency. Based on this discussion, we make some concluding remarks about possible areas of improvement that could potentially strengthen the functioning and success of this programme, and thereby help to improve the levels of performance and compliance of the country’s WSAs. Keywords: wastewater treatment, regulation, Green Drop Programme, incentive-based mechanism, command-and-control mechanism

Efficiency evaluation of urban and rural municipal water service authorities in South Africa: A data envelopment analysis approach

In recent years the local governments in South Africa have faced numerous public protests with regard to service delivery and particularly the provision of basic services such as water and sanitation. In response, South Africa has introduced benchmarking systems (Blue Drop, Green Drop) to improve the quality of potable water and sanitation services. These systems have seen some success; however, the efficiency with which these water services are provided is yet to be assessed. This study uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the efficiency with which several South African water service authorities (WSAs), including both metropolitan and local municipalities, provide water services to the public in both urban and rural areas.

A proposed water sector plan for the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (Dr KKDM)

The radical reform of potable water services provisioning by means of promulgation of the Water Services Act 108 of 1997 and the National Water Act 36 of 1998 in South Africa (SA) started a process of addressing the imbalance which existed in how the national resource was distributed. Water is now recognised as a scarce resource that belongs to all the people of the country and consequently it should be managed in an integrated way for social and economic development including future growth (Fuggle and Rabie 2005:293; Riemann, Chimboza and Fubesi 2012:446). The provision of potable water by water services authorities (WSAs) is an important basic service that faces a number of challenges such as the use of out-dated infrastructure and a lack of skilled and knowledgeable people that place overt pressure on demand for service delivery. It is against this background that the researchers have undertaken to investigate how a municipality which is forced to obtain its potable water supply from nearby surface- and groundwater catchments, can manage it in a more effective, efficient, equal, economic and sustainable manner by means of improved planning procedures to enhance co-operative governance and intergovernmental relations.A qualitative research design was used to conduct the study, which included a literature review, semi-structured interviews, non-probability data sampling and scientific analyses of responses. Furthermore, a case-study approach was followed by the researchers, with Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (Dr KKDM) as the unit of analysis (the locus). The major research finding of the study included that a Water Sector Plan (WSP) was lacking and non-existent in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality (Dr KKDM) and therefore water services delivery could not be coordinated effectively.

Water and sanitation provision in eThekwini Municipality: a spatially differentiated approach

The rescaling of responsibilities in water governance in South Africa has enabled strong water services authorities, such as the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit (EWS) in eThekwini Municipality, to play a leading role in shaping water and sanitation policy in South Africa. Yet water governance in the city is complex, shaped by the interactions of multiple social, economic, political and environmental relations in a transforming, fast-growing city that still reflects the legacy of apartheid. This paper identifies and explores the four dominant water governance discourses evident at present in the municipality, namely “water as a human right”, “water as an economic good”, “the spatial differentiation of service provision” and finally, “experimental governance and incremental learning”, which frame the current approach adopted by EWS. These discourses provide the context for the reforms undertaken in water and sanitation provision post-apartheid in eThekwini Municipality.

Monitoring drinking water quality in South Africa: Designing information systems for local needs

In South Africa, the management and monitoring of drinking water quality is governed by policies and regulations based on international standards. Water Service Authorities, which are either municipalities or district municipalities, are required to submit information regarding water quality and the management thereof regularly to the national Blue Drop System (BDS). Since 2009, a trend has emerged in which urban municipalities have been shown to consistently improve their water quality management whilst some of the rural and under-resourced municipalities are falling behind. A major concern has been that rural municipalities are failing to report the required information and are not complying with some of the regulator’s requirements that speak to the overall management of water quality monitoring rather than the actual water quality itself. This paper reflects on a case study undertaken in four rural municipalities in South Africa where a cellphone-based information system was implemented to collect information relevant to the municipality. The study was conducted by the Information for Community Oriented Municipal Services (iCOMMS) research team based at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The hypothesis for the research was that improved information flow within rural municipalities – from water supplies in outlying areas to the municipal government office – can improve the efficiency of existing monitoring, if the design, development and implementation of such a system are based on collecting appropriate and locally relevant information. Water service authorities at the four field sites managed the process of monitoring in very different ways due to limited resources as well as structural challenges within each government department. The variety of stakeholders involved in water quality monitoring programmes, and the alternative methods and processes used, challenges the current understanding of information system design as well as the notion of developing a single national information system. The decentralisation of national water quality monitoring to municipal level was assessed in this research, which concluded that the BDS was of limited usefulness to water quality monitoring in the rural municipalities partaking in this research. Keywords: water quality monitoring, information management, Blue Drop System, decentralisation, rural municipalities

Can groundwater be successfully implemented as a bulk water resource within rural Limpopo Province? Analysis based on GRIP datasets

Groundwater is a strategic water resource in rural Limpopo Province and it accounts for almost 70% of rural domestic water supply. The resource is available throughout the Province in varying quantities and qualities depending on the hydrogeological properties of the underlying aquifer. These properties are mostly secondary in nature and are constrained by the processes of weathering, faulting, fracturing and the influence of intrusive rocks. These properties define typical fractured aquifers in which the selection of drilling sites requires a thorough scientific approach to locate a successful productive borehole. While most water service authorities in the Province have been randomly developing new boreholes with limited success rates, the analysis of datasets in the newly established groundwater data repository, the Limpopo Groundwater Resource Information Project (GRIP) demonstrates that large quantities of groundwater can be obtained and used for bulk supply if the drilling sites are scientifically selected. The GRIP dataset contains 24 922 entries of which 4 000 were tested. The pumping test results indicate that an estimated 576 000 m3/d (210 Mm3/a) can be sustainably abstracted from boreholes in approximately 2 500 villages that are dispersed throughout the Province. However, more than 50% of these boreholes areunequipped of which 3 000 can provide a combined yield of 109 Mm3/a based on a 24 h abstraction rate. These results show that groundwater can be developed as a potential viable bulk-water supply source. This paper attempts to demonstrate, using the existing GRIP dataset, that groundwater is an underutilised resource that can be viably and cost-effectively developed as an alternative bulk water source or conjunctively with surface water.

The extent of non-compliant plumbing components used in South Africa

High quality plumbing components are essential to ensure the efficient and safe supply of water, and minimise water losses in buildings. South African legislation requires that all plumbing components installed comply with certain standards set by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). Water Services Authorities are responsible for enforcing this legislation, and are allowed to set their own additional requirements for plumbing components. This study investigated the extent of non-compliant plumbing components used in South Africa through a number of methods, and concludes that compliance is roughly 50%. This points to a large problem and has dire consequences for the future of effective water use and water leakage in South Africa. A worrying finding is that the level of non-compliance seems to be particularly large in low-cost housing developments. The main reasons for the low levels of compliance are a lack of enforcement at local government level and the fact that legislation does not prohibit the import and sale of non-compliant components. The paper makes a number of recommendations for improving the situation

Protection of Borehole Water Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa using Minimum Safe Distances and Zonal Protection

In Africa, groundwater plays an increasingly important role as a source of potable water, more so in rural communities where the cost implication of routing surface water supplies may far exceed the budgets of local water service authorities. Protection of groundwater resources requires good planning and a concerted effort from the legislative level right down to the enforcement and implementation level. The latter is essential in site-specific management and circumventing potential health threats that may result from the consumption or contact with contaminated groundwater. The reality in sub-Saharan Africa unfortunately is that these institutional structures do not exist and where they do exist implementation is problematic. This paper advocates that whilst zonal protection of groundwater resources is theoretically a good management option for protection of groundwater resource quality, practically its successful implementation can only be carried out once many of the sub-Saharan countries have their legal, institutional and socioeconomic frameworks in place. However, whilst working towards achieving those objectives even protection at a basic level like the implementing of minimum setback distances around groundwater resources and paying close attention to borehole development standards will offer sufficient basic protection to these vital resources.

Framework for local government to implement integrated water resource management linked to water service delivery

The Water Services Act (No. 8 of 1997) of South Africa states that water service delivery is the responsibility of local government as Water Services Authorities. The principal legal responsibility is to complete a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) every 5 years with annual review. The WSDP encapsulates all the responsibilities and tasks required in water service delivery. However, it does not spell out local government’s role in water resource protection or its responsibilities as far as integrated water resource management is concerned. It is well known in South Africa that there is a challenging level of inadequate capacity in technical and administrative skills in local government to adequately fulfil water service delivery. This paper highlights the consequences of this incapacity for municipalities and their difficulties in fulfilling their responsibilities as service providers. A framework is provided within which improvements can be brought about, with guidance on how to engage in the practice of integrated water resource management (IWRM) in the context of the legal framework for water services. The additional tasks and changes required to practise IWRM are set in the context of the WSDP. The framework provides a guide for a municipality to first accomplish an adequate WSDP, and then to gradually implement IWRM. A discussion on the skills needed to accomplish, firstly, a comprehensive WSDP, and secondly, IWRM, is included.Keywords: local government mandates, water service delivery, water service planning, integrated water resource management, skills and training needs, water resource management, solid waste management

The Role of Water Boards in Water Safety Plan Implementation in South Africa

Water boards act as water services providers to water services authorities (local authorities) in most of the major metropolitan areas in South Africa. These water boards manage a significant portion of the water supply chain and influence both up and downstream activities in this chain. It thus stands to reason that these agencies play a pivotal role in the development and implementation of appropriate water management plans aligned to universally accepted practice. As a leader in the water industry in South Africa, Rand Water is well advanced in implementing a “customised” water safety plan in its area of operation, and has been requested by various stakeholders in the industry to assist with a similar process in other regions. During the development of the organisations' water safety plan it became evident that certain support systems had to be put in place to ensure successful implementation of such a plan. As a result, an additional procedure (procedure 11) was included in the water safety plan to address support activities such as communication, training/education and consumer relations. These support systems have been developed to address specific requirements of internal and external stakeholders/customers and cover the entire supply chain to ensure a sound understanding of all aspects influencing water supply.