A joint working committee, led by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), will be established to find solutions to electricity supply challenges affecting Rand Water’s water supply systems, which contribute to disruptions across parts of Gauteng and the North West.
The decision was taken at an urgent stakeholder meeting convened on Tuesday evening by Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Jack Bloom, following a request from Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina.
The committee will include representatives from DWS, the Gauteng Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Rand Water, Johannesburg Water, City Power, Eskom and other relevant stakeholders.
It will develop a response plan to address the current electricity supply challenges facing Rand Water, as well as longer-term options to secure a more reliable electricity source for the water utility.
The response plan will be presented to the intergovernmental structure chaired by the Gauteng Provincial Government.
The meeting also called for continued collaboration between DWS, Rand Water, the Gauteng Provincial Government and the City of Johannesburg to mobilise communities and other sectors of society to conserve water and use it sparingly, particularly during these prevailing conditions.
The urgent meeting brought together Rand Water, DWS, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of Johannesburg and its entities, City Power and Johannesburg Water, as well as representatives from Eskom, to discuss reliable electricity supply for Rand Water’s water supply systems, and to reduce water supply disruptions emanating from intermittent power trips.
The meeting was also attended by Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero.
The meeting received detailed reports from Rand Water and City Power on the impact of recent electricity interruptions on Rand Water’s water supply systems.
The interruptions have affected water supply systems in Emfuleni, the City of Johannesburg and West Rand municipalities in Gauteng, as well as areas of Madibeng and Rustenburg in North West.
Stakeholders expressed concern about recurring electricity supply challenges affecting Rand Water’s Eikenhof system, which has negatively affected its ability to reliably supply water to municipalities.
In a joint statement, the stakeholders said the establishment of the joint working committee is intended to strengthen coordination among the various spheres of government, water entities and electricity providers in addressing the challenges.
“The collaboration [between the affected parties] has resulted in improved co-ordination and planning to the extent that water supply challenges are improving and will need to be sustainable stabilised,” the stakeholders said.
The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts by government and water sector stakeholders to stabilise water supply and strengthen the reliability of critical water infrastructure serving communities across Gauteng and neighbouring areas. – SAnews.gov.za
