DWS, JICA and SALGA co-host the 2nd Executive Forum for Enhancing Sustainability of Urban Water
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) co-hosted the 2nd Executive Forum for Enhancing Sustainability of Urban Water Services in Sub-Saharan Africa from 7-9 March 2023.
The event took place at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, where members of the water sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South African municipality representatives, gathered to come up with ways to identify water challenges and ways to tackle the challenges.
Participants of the three-day event included representatives from water supply utility from Sub-Saharan Africa, namely: Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nigeria, and South Africa.
The forum aimed to provide top management of water utilities the occasions for participants to be inspired for solutions to their challenges by accessing the good practices and lessons learned from neighbouring countries.
This will also allow for connections to the powerful resources for solving their difficulties including network-building, matching with other utilities that have faced common issues, and the supports from JICA.
Moreover, the participants can share the mission of water utilities under the common value of "a Water Family".
During his opening address, the Department’s Acting Deputy Director General for Infrastructure Management, Mr Leonardo Manus, conveyed appreciation for the support that is provided to DWS by the Japanese government. He emphasised the philosophy of each-one-teach-one from other water utilities.
ADDG Manus said the availability of infrastructure alone was not enough, but operating and maintaining the already available infrastructure was also paramount.
Over the three days, the delegates were split into groups to discuss three topics: Group 1 - Improvement of Services and Financing for Infrastructure, Group 2 – Human Resources Development Utility and Group 3 – Management Strategy of Water Utility.
Each group came back with identified challenges and ways forward. Challenges in Improvement of Services and Financing for Infrastructure included, relatively low water tariffs, increasing cost of key operation inputs, lengthy project preparation and implementation and informal settlements and peri-urban areas. Initiatives found as ways to counter these challenges were cost recovery tariffs, deferred investment, step-up investment mobilisation and alternative pro-poor sanitation projects.
Human Resources Development Utility focused on challenges pertaining to Inadequate training and capacity building High staff turnover and skill attention Inadequate capacity to ensure climate resilience and disaster responses, gender mainstreaming and career development, while the Management Strategy of Water Utility noted Energy, non-revenue water reduction, technology and Wastewater management as challenges.
Possible solutions from both teams included employee performance management system reward and recognition, leadership training, documenting of success stories, solarisation, private partnerships and institutionalising Non-Revenue Water.
Following group discussions participants noted similar issues between countries and each vowed to implement solutions found during the forum. Each highlighted the need for support in terms of finances and technical assistance from key stakeholders.
JICA noted that in a year’s time there will be a follow-up to assess how far implementation was with the different countries.
Source: Government of South Africa