The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has gazetted the revised Norms and Standards for tariff setting, which introduces a multiyear tariff for all water users, and aims to ensure that tariffs are transparent, predictable and consistent for sustainability of service provision.

The new Norms and Standards enable users to plan for the longer term to ensure affordability and timeous payment for water use and provides clarity on the tariffs for water-borne sanitation, the DWS said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

It also provides a framework to fund the service delivery expectations.

The amended Norms and Standards were gazetted on May 27, 2024, under Section 10 of the Water Services Act, and through Notice Number 2524 of 2024 in the Government Gazette Number 50716, and will come into effect on April 1, 2026.

“The revised document on tariff setting, which was last promulgated in April 2002, provides a framework within which water services tariffs should be set by bulk water providers including nonwater boards to a water services authority, water tariffs by a water services authority and sanitation tariffs by a water services authority,” the DWS said.

“This is to make certain that consumers receive fair and affordable services while encouraging accountability among service providers, enhancing consumer trust and confidence. In addition, this also encourages better water services provision to consumers.”

The multiyear tariff determination provision ensures the predictability of different types of tariffs, including drought tariffs, seasonal tariffs and a penalty tariff for water conservation and demand management, and strengthens the determination of the sanitation tariff and details the disclosure requirements.

According to the DWS, the revision of the Norms and Standards for tariff setting was necessitated by the developments within the public sector which impacted the water and sanitation services sector, such as the promulgation of the Local Government, Municipal Finance Management Act, Municipal Fiscal Powers and Functions Act and the Municipal Systems Act.

The department plans to roll out the Norms and Standards to stakeholders from October 2024 until March 2025.