On the Photo: Mr Neo Smouse, VOCMA Chief Financial Officer, Presenting the proposed tariffs for Raw Water Use to affected water users
Bloemfontein
The Department of Water and Sanitation in Free State Province together with the Vaal Orange Catchment Management Agency (VOCMA) has kickstarted the public consultation meeting with water users on raw water use charges for 2028/2029 financial year.
So far, the consultations have been held in Kathu, Upington, Kimberley, Bloemfontein and Aliwal North with different stakeholders consisting of mines, industries, agriculture, energy, and domestic users. Water use categories include abstraction use, water discharge use and non-consumptive.
Supplying water to all people at an acceptable level of assurance and quality costs money, both in terms of capital investment into infrastructure and the operation and maintenance associated with water treatment, bulk water distribution and reticulation in human settlements. In other words, water is a self-sufficient commodity.
In accordance with the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) Act No 1 of 1999 and the Raw Water Pricing Strategy that was established in terms of section 56(1) of the National Water Act No. 36 of 1998, (VOCMA) in collaboration with the Department Water and Sanitation is undertaking budget planning and tariff determination for users in the Vaal and Orange river water network.
The Raw Water Use charges are determined in accordance with the Pricing Strategy to allow the Water Management Institutions (WMI) to recover the costs associated with the water resource management, water resource development, as well as the Research, Development and Innovation projects for the benefit of the sector. The budgets and charges are determined by Catchment Management Agencies, Operational Cluster Offices, Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority and Water Research Commission.
Inputs and comments from consulted water users will be consolidated and proposed tafiffs will be submitted to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mme Pammy Majodina for her input and thereafter the tariffs will be published. Consultations are still to be held in Bethlehem, Klerksdorp and Vanderbijlpark.
Meanwhile –
The Department of Water and Sanitation confirms that dam levels in the FreeState Province have improved to an average of 100,7%, from 100,3% in the previous week. This also reflects a year-on-year increase, with current levels at 100,7% compared to 101% recorded during the same period last year.
Rustfontein Dam recorded a decrease from 98,3% to 97,8%, Groothoek Dam has declined from last week’s 96,9% to 96,4% this week, Sterkfontein Dam is currently at 99% from 99,1% while Fika-Patso Dam measured a water level decrease of 88% from 89,8%, and Metsi-Matsho Dam declined from 89% to 88,1%, Krugersdrift Dam has remained stable at 100,3% for the third consecutive week, while Welbedacht Dam has also maintained a 100% over the same period.
South Africa’s largest water storage reservoir Gariep Dam increased to a 100,1% this week from 99% in the previous week, Vanderkloof Dam also rose to 99,5% from last week’s 99%, and Bloemhof Dam increased to 105% from 104,1%. While current collective storage levels remain stable, the Department of Water and
Sanitation would like to remind residents to use water responsibly and report any damages of infrastructure to the municipality. Weekly updates will be provided by the Department to keep the public informed.
