blue drop report

Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that his Department is in the process of establishing the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency. Photo: GCIS / Flickr

What is the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency?

Minister Senzo Mchunu says his department is forming the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency but how will it help SA?

blue drop report

Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that his Department is in the process of establishing the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency. Photo: GCIS / Flickr

Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu says his department is in the process of establishing the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA).

What is the purpose of the NWRIA?

According to Mchunu, the Agency will finance and implement large-scale investments that are required to ensure that the country has a sufficient bulk water supply.

“The use of groundwater, desalination of seawater and rainwater harvesting are also being implemented to address local water requirements,” said Mchunu.

In March this year, a project manager for the NWRIA James Ndlovu explained the purpose of the agency. Ndlovu stated that it will be used to provide raw water with the main focus being on the under-served and the poor.

They hope to ensure a sustainable, equitable and reliable water supply from the national water resources infrastructure. 

“A lot more investments in water infrastructure projects is required to guarantee water security in the country, this agency will foster private partnerships to make certain that challenges related to water and sanitation are addressed,”

Ndlovu said. 

Mchunu speaks about areas experiencing water shortages

The minister explained that mostly rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the Free State, the Northern Cape and the North West are facing shortages.

In terms of access to reliable services, only 32% of South African households have access to this. Access to sanitation services is currently below 85% in the Northern Cape, the North West, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

“In the efforts to remedy these challenges, the Department of Water and Sanitation will be submitting a National Sanitation Framework to the Cabinet for approval,”

said Mchunu.

Months later and construction at Tongaat Water Treatment Plant has begun

In related news, it was previously reported that water might soon flow in many homes in Tongaat as the eThekwini Municipality revealed that rebuilding has started. 

According to the municipality, work to rebuild the Tongaat Water Treatment Plant that faced extensive damages during the floods in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is underway.

Various communities have been struggling to get access to water for months since the treatment plant was washed away. The Municipality revealed that the rebuilding is expected to cost around R31 million. Read the full story here.