The water sector is a multi-stakeholder one, and with the many actors present it can be difficult to distinguish what roles they each play in the water value chain. Fortunately, there are hard rules and laws that regulate who does what, and who is responsible for what.
By Duncan Nortier 
Minister Pemmy Majodina clearly defines the role of the Department of Water and Sanitation and municipalities
- Water resource management and taking regulatory action to protect our water resources
- Setting national minimum norms and standards for water services provided by municipalities
- Provide support to municipalities and intervene when these norms and standards are not being met.
Further, Water Boards are entities under the Minister of Water and Sanitation established in terms of the Water Services Act to assist municipalities with bulk potable water infrastructure and services. Municipalities are responsible for: - Managing its own infrastructure.
- Collecting payment for water usage.
- The provision of local water and sanitation services is the Constitutional and legal responsibility of municipalities.
Monitoring municipalities
Municipalities are responsible for delivering water to water users
Potential reforms
“While it is the municipality’s job to provide water and sanitation services, it is the Department’s job to act as a regulator and ensure compliance,” says Pemmy. She elaborates that there are multiple strategies in place to help improve municipal water services but there is one significant new move by the department. The DWS will present Cabinet with the Water Services Amendment Bill which would see the introduction of water operating licenses. These licenses would enable Water Services Authorities to ensure that their Water Services Providers have a minimum level of capability to provide water and sanitation services that meet national norms and standards. The Bill also introduces measures to enable the national department to take regulatory action against municipalities which do not comply with national minimum norms and standards for water services. The department as well as COGTA, National Treasury and DHS, will continue to support municipalities to improve their water and sanitation services in several ways. It will assist municipalities to improve their water services planning through the development of Five-Year Water and Sanitation Reliability Plans, Water and Sanitation Master Plans, and Water Services Development Plans. 
