It’s safe to say that SA’s water infrastructure is in the same position that the energy sector was in a decade ago. Without huge investment to rehabilitate and replace ageing infrastructure, supply and quality are under threat.

SA’s water infrastructure deficit amounts to R573 billion over the next 10 years, or R58 billion/year, according to Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa. The department’s director of water services Fred van Zyl says that 44%-50% of these funds are available.

The R573 billion excludes funds for agriculture, sanitation, operations and maintenance. Taken together, SA may need as much as R670 billion.

Van Zyl is realistic about the constraints: “We can’t just throw money at infrastructure without being able to manage it. We need to invest in asset management and institutional capacity.”

Given the lack of funds, government will have to prioritise. The department is developing an infrastructure investment plan, headed by Van Zyl, which will guide national fund allocation.

The plan aims to map out every pipe, pump, borehole and dam, and will track water supply from source to tap. It will include existing infrastructure and its maintenance needs, as well as long-term supply of the resource.

The process will inform where investment is most needed, and is expected to include investment in human capital and management.

Source: bizcommunity