Another water crisis looming
Although many residents do pay for water, this money does not reach Rand Water.
Merafong City Local Municipality residents are facing water shortages again due to the municipality not paying the required money to Rand Water.
This week, Rand Water’s legal department issued a notice warning that the municipality currently owes the bulk water provider R838,237,998.
Merafong was supposed to pay the outstanding account on 30 April.
“The municipality’s continuous failure to pay Rand Water debt is an outright breach of the relevant provisions of the BWSC (Bulk Water Supply Contract), as supported by the provisions of section 33(1)(d) of the Water Service Act 108 of 1997 (WSA). The debt threatens the functional and institutional integrity of Rand Water and jeopardises Rand Water’s ability to provide bulk water services supply on a financially sustainable basis,” the notice reads.
Rand Water also says it is authorised by law to reduce bulk water supply services if the municipality fails to comply with the BWSC’s terms and conditions or to provide sufficient evidence of its inability to pay for water services.
Rand Water further indicated that it had made “continuous efforts” to recover the money from Merafong but had failed to secure the payment. As a result, Rand Water has notified the municipality that it intends to reduce the water supply to Merafong by 20 per cent after 30 days of its notice.
According to Rand Water, the notice also serves as a warning of the coming water reduction to members of the public who are likely to be affected.
The bulk water provider says it would not terminate water supply services altogether but would only limit the bulk water supply by 20 per cent. That will leave Merafong with 80 per cent of its water supply, which Rand Water believes to be enough for residents.
Rand Water indicated that Merafong will initiate public participation processes to ensure that it receives written responses from the public to guide it on how it will prioritise the remaining 80 per cent of water after the supply reduction to minimise the impact on vulnerable residents and institutions like schools, old age homes and hospitals.
Although the Herald asked the municipality for its response, the marketing and communications manager, Mr Temba Fezani, failed to provide answers or guidelines on how it would deal with the public’s comments.
Rand Water says its planned action is necessary to hold the municipality accountable and also advised members of the public “to take appropriate lawful steps against the municipality to avert the planned action and protect their interests”.
Rand Water invited residents affected by the water supply reduction to submit written representations, comments or submissions indicating why it should or should not proceed with the planned water reductions.
The closing date for these submissions will be the end of the 30th calendar day from when the notice was issued. Rand Water’s final decision on the matter will be published seven days after this closing date.
According to Rand Water, members of the public can still challenge their final decision in the Water Court.
“It is troubling that Rand Water has neither dated this notice nor posted it on any of their platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or their website. One has to wonder if they are intentionally keeping the public participation process quiet, knowing the community would strongly oppose their water reductions,” says the DA’s Constituency head for Merafong, Ms Ina Cilliers.
Residents who are unhappy with the proposed water cuts should email their submissions to customerservice@randwater.co.za and include the reference number “MLM01/2024 Notice” in the heading.
The DA asked to be carbon copied (Cc) in the emails on merafongda@gmail.com as they want to ensure that Rand Water does not ignore public participation.
