Water Supply and Sanitation Policy (White Paper).

This Policy document of the Department of Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry concerns the reorganization and development of the water supply and sanitation sector in South Africa. Lack of basic services such as water supply and sanitation is considered a key symptom of poverty and underdevelopment. The (new) Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) has the national responsibility of ensuring that both the needs of people and of the economy which sustains them are effectively met, thus the provision of water supply and sanitation services cannot be separated from the effective management of water resources for other, economic, purposes. Only by addressing both aspects together, in an integrated manner, can the objectives of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) be fully met. The objective of this White Paper is to set out the policy for the new Department with specific regard to water supply and sanitation services. The purpose of the White Paper is to: Provide some historical background regarding water supply and sanitation development in South Africa; Explain the development approach which has guided policy formulation; Put forward certain basic policy principles; Outline the institutional framework proposed for water supply and sanitation services; Provide standards and guidelines for basic service delivery; Set out policy for the financing of services; Outline certain immediate initiatives which are being taken; Provide supplementary policy and briefing information on important related topics. The document is not intended to present a detailed strategy for achieving the overall goal outlined in the introduction. This will be developed by the new Department.
The document sets out the principles on which policy is based: Development should be demand driven and community based, basic services are a human right,“some for all” rather than “all for some”, equitable regional allocation of development resources, water has economic value, the user pays, integrated development, environmental integrity. The policy of Government is that services should be self-financing at a local and regional level. The only exception to this is that, where poor communities are not able to afford basic services, Government may subsidise the cost of construction of basic minimum services but not the operating, maintenance or replacement costs. Such basic service grants will be provided, as far as possible directly to the local authorities or Local Water Committees Financing and tariff structures must ensure viability, efficiency and sustainability. As to the institutional framework for water supply and sanitation, the role of the Central Government is to manage the nation’s water resources, to ensure that all citizens have access to adequate basic services, and to promote a supportive and enabling environment for community based development. It is also to provide national policy, guidelines and standards, and to monitor and audit progress. Only where there is lack of local capacity will it intervene in terms of the Constitution. The role of Provincial Government is to perform Schedule 6 functions in terms of the Constitution, particularly the development of local government. The role of Local Government is the provision of services to residents. Statutory Local Water Committees may be established where local government does not exist. Local communities are therefore the point at which implementation, operation and maintenance of services will take place. Training and capacity building for communities is therefore an important part of the Government’s strategy. Water Boards will be democratised and rationalised and their mandate extended to include sanitation and provision of services direct to consumers in the absence of functioning local authorities. The Private Sector and NGOs have a major role in serving the public sectors. The policy of Government is that services should be self-financing at a local and regional level. The only exception to this is that, where poor communities are not able to afford basic services, Government may subsidise the cost of construction of basic minimum services but not the operating, maintenance or replacement costs. Such basic service grants will be provided, as far as possible directly to the local authorities or Local Water Committees Financing and tariff structures must ensure viability, efficiency and sustainability.