The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has completed its national raw water consultations where it presented proposed raw water tariffs for the 2018/19 financial year and listened to input from key stakeholders in the water and sanitation sector.

Mpho Mofokeng, DWS Chief Financial Officer of the Water Trading Entity, presented the 2018/19 tariffs, indicating a proposed increase of 14.6% across the spectrum of raw water users was.

According to Mofokeng, the Water Resource Infrastructure Charges for the domestic and industrial sector will increase from 0% to 14.6%. Irrigation charges will also range from 0% to 14.6%.

Furthermore, the water resource management charges for the domestic and industrial sector will range from 0%-14.6%, as will forestry sector tariffs. The irrigation sector charges will be capped and will range between 4% and 14.6%.

The primary aim of the pricing strategy is to find appropriate methods of funding water resource management, water resource development and use of waterworks as per section 56(2) of National Water Act.

According to the DWS, the charges have been determined and set in a manner that will contribute to social equity, redress the imbalance of the past, protect ecological reserve, ensure financial sustainability and reflect the scarcity of water as essential commodity.

“The new tariffs do not mean that the previous debt will be revoked. In essence all municipalities, farmers and users who still have outstanding debt with the department are liable for the debt due to the department,” warned Mofokeng.

He added that the department has improved its tracking process and out of 27 865 queries lodged 25 717 which range from tariffs, billing frequency, proof of payment, invoice or statement not received, disputes of customer balance, billing duplication etc. have been resolved with 2148 queries still open.