Local Government, Environ-mental Affairs and Development Planning

[1]     Yes to both [a] and [b].

The Department of Local Government [DLG] support municipalities to strengthen and improve municipal service delivery and capacity building to enable municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their own powers and to perform their functions as prescribed by local government legislation.

DLG has been designated as the lead Department for managing the Provincial Water Risk, which includes coordinating the drought response, short- and long-term water resilience planning in the Western Cape. International best practice dictates that drought planning and prioritisation of water resources development and management projects [measures/interventions] continue, even during years when drought seems unlikely. In response to the 2015-2019 drought period, the Province proposed to compile a water security and drought resilience plan to mitigate in the event of future water shortages caused by drought.

Thus far the Department of Local Government [DLG] has provided either for grants or coordinated funding from other public entities to expand or maintain existing water and water-related infrastructure.

 

 

Given the magnitude and complexity associated with the total water ecosystem, the Department has adopted a holistic and integrated approach which are either being addressed or will be addressed by the following strategies:

Bi-annual drought assessments are conducted in order to determine the extent and impact of the drought; drought risk categorization, based on the findings of the assessments; and development and implementation of drought response action plans. 

Notwithstanding the above, a mind-set change is required with regards to how long-term planning is conducted, which necessitates a strategic shift towards water resilience planning rather than only focusing on a drought response action plan. To this extent, DLG embarked on the development of Provincial Water Resilience Plan, to ensure that municipalities are better prepared for future drought occurrences.

DLG is currently finalizing the 15-Year Provincial Water Resilience Plan, which aims to provide for the timeous planning and implementation of interventions to ensure water security and water resilience for the Western Cape, as well as ensuring an integrated and coordinated Provincial response to the impact of the drought.

DLG adopted a collaborative strategy in response to the challenges with regards to the lack of technical resource capacity and capability as well as the necessary financial resources comprising of the following:

• Solicited the participation of partners/stakeholders such as the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning and the Department of Agriculture as well as the National Department of Water and Sanitation, Water Boards, Water Catchment management agencies and irrigation boards, among others;
• Appointment of a dedicated team of technical specialists in the Department, which provided technical advisory services to municipalities and assisted with the roll-out of the drought response plan and the Provincial Water Resilience Plan;
• Subsequent to the bi-annual drought assessment and development of drought response action plans, the Department of Local Government [DLG] provided funding for the execution of these action plans as well as deployment of Engineers to provide hands-on support to municipalities with the development of business plans and implementation of drought relief projects as well as development of standard operating procedures in overall water management and the transfer of skills.

Below is a list of some of the projects supported by DLG over the recent financial years. Some of the projects with actual budgets are:

 a. These projects meant for infrastructure expansion

• Drilling, testing, equipping and connection of boreholes
• Ladismith Deep Borehole Development
• Upgrades of Water Treatment Works
• Construction of Reservoirs
• Inter-connection of reservoirs
• Waste Water Treatment Works Re-use
• Supply and Installation of standby generators at Water Treatment Works and Pumpstations
• Construction of booster pump and pressure towers

 b. These projects meant for infrastructure maintenance.

• Leak Detection and Repairs
• Equipping and boreholes and installation/ replacement of water meters
• Installation of Smart Water Meters and Leak Detection
• Installation of Borehole Monitoring equipment
• Communication Campaigns
• Water Pressure Management
• Installation of water management devices
• Borehole monitoring equipment and security enclosures Telemetry System
• Refurbish Iron Removal Plant
• Refurbishment of Water Treatment Works

[2]     DLG’s budget allocated to the maintenance of water infrastructure in Municipalities over the financial years 2018/19 – 2021/22.

 

FINANCIAL YEAR	ALLOCATION (R)
2018 - 2019	R 8 408 000
2019 - 2020	R 43 556 000
2020 - 2021	R 12 518 000
2021 - 2022	R 2 850 000
Total (2018 – 2022)	R 67 332 000

Appointed Geohydrologist to assist with the following:

a]      Hydro-census investigations

b]      Borehole yield and quality tests

c]      Development of Sustainable ground water abstraction plans

d]      Water Use Licence applications (WULA)

e]      Ground Water Management skills transfer

FINANCIAL YEAR	ALLOCATION (R)
2019/20	R 8 200 000
2020/21	R 4 000 000
2021/22	R 7 200 000
Total [2019 – 2022)]	R 19 400 000