Pretoria - The Regional Bulk Infrastructure Programme is to receive over R6 billion to ensure that there is a sustainable and value-chain of water supply and sanitation infrastructure, says Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.
Addressing the National Council of Provinces on the department’s Budget Review in Parliament, the Minister said the department will spend in excess of R6 billion through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant in various projects across the provinces to address infrastructure challenges.
In Mpumalanga, the department will spend R286 million towards water infrastructure development and maintenance this financial year.
The Eastern Cape will receive R1.2 billion with the funds channelled to address the challenges of bulk infrastructure.
In Limpopo, the department will be implementing a total of eight regional bulk infrastructure projects totalling R955 million, including projects in the Mopani and Water Berg as well as Vhembe and Sekhukhune District Municipalities.
The North West province will receive an amount of R757 million to implement various infrastructure development and maintenance schemes in Greater Taung Local Municipality under the Dr. Ruth Mompati District Municipality.
“This budget will thus address challenges with ground water quality, as well as inadequate bulk supply,” said Minister Mokonyane on Wednesday.
Other projects include the Pilanesberg Bulk Water Supply Scheme which will benefit various municipalities for both domestic and industrial water supply.
The Northern Cape, will receive R341 million for its Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant projects.
KwaZulu-Natal will receive R1. 4 billion, this financial year.
Among the schemes to benefit through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant in KwaZulu-Natal are the Lower uThukela Regional Bulk which will deliver potable water southwards to local developments and rural communities.
The Free State province, will receive R484 million for its Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant projects for this financial year.
Gauteng will receive R349 million. Currently there are two projects being implemented under Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant which include the Sedibeng Regional Sanitation and Westonaria Regional Sewer Schemes.
In the Western Cape, the department recently completed an exercise to determine the bulk water and sewerage infrastructure needs for the Western Cape for the next 15 to 20 years.
To date, the department has invested R533 million through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant and Accelerated Infrastructure Community Projects with a further R194.8 million allocated for the 2015/16 period.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Water Infrastructure Grant will receive more than R2.5 billion. The programme aims to facilitate the planning, acceleration and implementation of various projects that will ensure water supply to communities that were not previously served.
The department will also spend R31.8 million on rain water harvesting to provide poor farmers with quality water as well as general assistance for their harvests.
When coming to sanitation infrastructure, the department’s priority is the complete eradication of the use of bucket toilets across the country in formal areas by the end of December 2015.
In the 2014/15 Financial Year, the Bucket Eradication Programme eradicated 20 560 bucket toilets in the Free State (4056), Eastern Cape (2672); Northern Cape (2421); North West (398).
“Through this programme, the remaining bucket toilets will be eradicated at a cost of R975 million,” she said.
Currently, it is estimated that some 88 127 households in formal settlements are using the bucket system as a form of sanitation. The backlog is found predominantly in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape and North West provinces.
“At the end of this programme the department would have eradicated some 58 453 buckets with decent sanitation in the form of water borne sanitation.
In the Eastern Cape, the department will focus on eradicating some 5013 bucket toilets.
“Whereas a significant part of the bucket toilet backlog is located in the Free State province where the programme seeks to eradicate some 16 521 buckets,” explained the Minister.
In the Northern Cape, a total of 8 337 buckets toilets will be eradicated while in the North West a total of 198 buckets will be eradicated.
The total budget for the department for the 2015/16 financial year is R16.4 billion. Over the medium-term, this budget is expected to grow to more than R17 billion by 2016/17. - SAnews.gov.za
