WATER SERVICES
The provision of Water services is directed, regulated and controlled by the Water Services Act (Act No. 108 of 1997) and the National Water Act (Act No. 36 of 1998). The Water Services Act primarily deals with water and sanitation services provision to consumers, while the National Water Act focuses on water in its natural environment (water resources).
Sol Plaatje Municipality is both the Water Service Provider (WSP) and Water Service Authority (WSA). This implies that the municipality is both responsible for the planning and implementation of strategies related to water supply services. The municipality must develop a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) relevant to Water Services Authority requirements and furthermore defines desired and minimum level of water service for communities, which is a specific function for Water Services Provider in its area of jurisdiction.
- Policy Development and Bylaws
- Financial Planning and Management (including Tariff setting)
- Contract Management (WSA& WSP contract)
- Water Services Development Plan (WSDP)
- Infrastructure Planning
- Water Services Provider (WSP) Arrangements (including Monitoring and Evaluation)
- Performance Management and Regulation
- Water Quality Management
- Health and Hygiene Promotion
- Water Conservation and Demand Management
- Reporting and Accountability (internal & external)
- Asset Management and Legal Matters
- Transfer of Assets
- WSA Structural and Organisational Issues
- Disaster Management/Preparedness
| - Setting Conditions for Provision of Water Services
- Financial Management and Planning (WSP budget)
- Water Services Provision Functions
- Infrastructure Development
- Customer relations and Communications
- Health and Hygiene Promotion
- Contract Management (WSA & WSP)
- Operations and Maintenance
- Reporting and Accountability to WSA.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
Sol Plaatje Municipality consists of two main towns, Kimberley and Ritchie, with varying levels of infrastructure quality and standards. Kimberley is an old city that was designed as a mining town which grew with time. The infrastructure is very old, retrofitted with time and buried under other structures with no accurate "as built" information. While Ritchie is a small predominantly farming town, with very limited water infrastructure. This poses a challenge with development, maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure for sustainable service delivery.
Water Services infrastructure can be subdivided into:
Drinking water supply, which consist of:
- Water purification works: Riverton and Ritchie;
- Bulk water supply;
- Bulk water storage; and
- Reticulation.
Waste water management, which consists of:
- Waste water treatment with plants in Homevale, Beaconsfield and Ritchie;
- Bulk sewage conveyance, with several sewer pump stations and outfall sewers;
- Sewage collection system; and
- Night-soil handling facilities.
Generally, the condition of infrastructure is good to poor in some areas with old infrastructure. The municipality has invested, and is still investing in the improvement of the infrastructure. The minimum requirements in terms of the provision of basic water and sanitation services delivery are met, but challenges still exist in the informal settlements due to uncontrollable sprawling of informal dwellings.
Funding remains one of the main challenges for the municipality to timeously address challenges of maintenance, refurbishment, upgrading and development of new infrastructure at the same rate as demand and growth.
Infrastructure Contact Centre (24 Hours Service)
Tel: 053-8306111
