Consultations between the Department of Water and Sanitation and key stakeholders across the country are underway to determine bulk water tariffs for the 2022/23 financial year.

Department’s Director for Institutional Establishment in the Northern Cape, Tenda Rasikhanya, said two stakeholder engagement meetings, are scheduled for the Northern Cape.

“We are meeting with stakeholders in Upington at the Desert Palace on 20 July 2022 and the Kimberley engagement is scheduled at the Kimberley Garden Court for the 21 July 2022,” Rasikhanya said.

Rasikhanya noted that supplying water to all people at an acceptable level of assurance and quality, costs money, both in terms of capital investment in infrastructure, and the operation and maintenance associated with water treatment, bulk water distribution and reticulation in human settlements.

In terms of the National Water Act of 1998, the department is required to establish an annual raw water pricing strategy after consulting widely with different water users, including mines, industries, agriculture, energy and domestic users.

The Act states that the Minister of Water and Sanitation is required to establish a pricing for raw water charges.

The pricing of water is based on the Pricing Principles, including user pay, polluter pay, ecological sustainability, differentiated charges, accountability and governance.

Source: South African Government News Agency