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Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane delivered a presentation on water and sanitation in the Limpopo province during the Limpopo 2017 Local Government Summit being held in Polokwane today, 31 January 2017.

Minister Mokonyane gave a break down update on the implementation of the sanitation programmes, water services authority capacity of municipalities to deliver water and sanitation services, the blue and green drop status as well as the debt owed by municipalities.

The department is currently constructing the bulk infrastructure pipelines, water treatment works and reservoirs, to add on the existing 81 water treatment works supplying 1 211 settlements across the province.

In Sekhukhune DM there are 11 projects, Mopani 7 projects, Vhembe 1 project, Mogalakwena 2 projects and Polokwane 1 mega project. All these projects are multiyear projects and consist of several phases. The Polokwane projects include the replacement off all existing water pipes within the City and doing away with the old dilapidated asbestos pipes currently in use.

On Sanitation, Minister Mokonyane says the Department is introducing alternative sanitation solutions in remote rural areas, sighting that sanitation is not all about flushing. To date the department has funded and installed the VIP toilets as follows: In Sekhukhune District Municipality 925, in Capricorn District Municipality 854, in Mopani District Municipality 694 and in Vhembe District Municipality 391, all completed. The Minister stressed that given the drought conditions and water scarcity challenges faced by the country, water borne sanitation solutions were being minimised and replaced with innovative solutions with a less reliance on water.

According to Minister Mokonyane, despite relatively improving performance since inception of Blue and Green Drop Water Quality Monitoring Tools, challenges remain within the 11 Water Service Authorities in the province. In the main, the key challenges leading to compromised water quality in the province are because of insufficient skilled process controllers, inconsistent and insufficient monitoring, thus compromising good performance.

"However the department is committed to working together with the water services authorities to ensure that there are improvements plans that are in place and implemented and within two weeks the technical working committee should be established".

Minister also highlighted the objectives of the Limpopo Water Master Plan being the first of its kind in the Province. The plan is set to change the water services landscape in the Province with focus mainly on   previously disadvantaged communities.

The summit, also attended by COGTA Minister Des Van Rooyen, was aimed at amongst other things creating a platform for dialogue on intergovernmental responsibilities with the aim of improving performance of local government and government as a whole. The theme of the conference is: "Building a developmental local government by getting the basics right"

Issued by Department of Water and Sanitation