KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi said the province, already grappling with the pressures of population growth, climate change, and unequal distribution of water resources, is further burdened by this significant wastage.
Durban — KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi has declared war on water losses in the province.
Delivering his budget speech in the legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, the MEC said his department had identified the alarming reality of billions of rand lost annually to non-revenue water in the province, saying this staggering figure underscored a critical challenge that was severely compromising water security for communities.
“As highlighted by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, the issue of non-revenue water is a national crisis, but its impact is particularly acute in KwaZulu-Natal. The province, already grappling with the pressures of population growth, climate change, and unequal distribution of water resources, is further burdened by this significant wastage,” said Buthelezi.
Buthelezi warned this loss manifested itself in various forms, including infrastructure failures, ageing and dilapidated water infrastructure such as leaky pipes and burst mains, which contributed substantially to water loss and illegal connections.
Buthelezi also pointed to metering inaccuracies as another problem that needed attention, saying that faulty or water meters that had been tampered with resulted in the underestimation of water consumption and revenue loss.
Buthelezi said unaccounted for water that could not be explained through legitimate consumption or losses presented a significant challenge, adding that the consequences of this water loss were far-reaching as it placed an immense strain on water resources, exacerbated water scarcity, and increased the cost of water treatment and distribution. Moreover, it deprived municipalities of essential revenue, hindering their ability to provide adequate water services to communities.
Buthelezi committed his department to addressing this crisis through a comprehensive approach that involved:
“By taking decisive action to curb non-revenue water, we can safeguard water security, improve service delivery, and ensure a sustainable water future for the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Buthelezi.
Water losses mainly through leaks and non-payment for water has been a big problem in eThekwini which the opposition parties like the DA and ActionSA have been raising. In 2022, it is estimated that the City was losing 56% which translated into 615 million litres a day. The cost was estimated at R5 million a day which translated to R1.86 billion a year.
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