Water wars: Cabinet celebrates progress, critics remain wary

Amid water shortages set to dominate campaigning by opposition parties in the run-up to the 29 May polls, Cabinet is optimistic about progress made in the strategic Mega Raw Water Resource Augmentation projects by the department of water and sanitation.

Progress made

Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing in Pretoria yesterday Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said progress made included:

• A reported success in the raising of the Hazelmere Dam project, which has been completed at a cost of R820 million, increasing the storage capacity of the dam from 23.9 million cubic metre to 43.6 million cubic metre – enabling additional stored water to be treated and supplied to the City of eThekwini.
• The completion of the Hazelmere Water Treatment Works, increasing the capacity of the treatment works to 90 megalitres per day, within the next three years at a cost of R25 million.
• Progress in the Umzimvubu Water Project – delayed for many years by lack of funding – now expected to be completed by June, with the dam construction expected to be completed in 2028.
• The raising of the Tzaneen Dam Project – expected to be completed in March next year at a cost of R555 million.
• The raising of the Clan William Dam wall project in the Western Cape, aimed at addressing the need for additional water for agriculture development, which includes resource-poor farmers.

Expert remains unimpressed

However, water resource management expert Anthony Turton was unimpressed.

“Until a credible root cause analysis has been conducted to determine the exact nature of the problem being fixed, we will continue to haemorrhage money from the fiscus,” he said.

“Our economy can be brought to its knees because of the disruption to water services and the erosion of investor confidence.”

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