The Department of Water and Sanitation says Gauteng municipalities need to improve water billing systems and revenue collection, as well as allocate more funding for maintenance.
This as the department plans the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to add more water into the Integrated Vaal River System which supplies Gauteng with water.
The project is due to be completed by 2028.
Water and Sanitation Department spokesperson Wisani Mavasa says, “While we wait for the second phase of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, we are working with role players in Gauteng, the World Bank 2030 Water Resources Group, organised business, civil society leaders as well as sector experts to put in place awareness campaigns for the province in order to educate and raise awareness for everyone to use water more sparingly.”
“Rand Water and the affected municipalities will continue to communicate with the public regarding progress with the implementation of the maintenance program and the provision of alternative water supplies during this maintenance period,” adds Mavasa.
VIDEO: Rand Water is confident in on-schedule completion of pump station maintenance:
Meanwhile, Rand Water says its infrastructure maintenance project, scheduled from June 22 to July 29 is progressing as planned.
The project is being conducted in phases and across various municipalities in Gauteng and North West.
It involves the replacement of defective valves and the maintenance of water pipelines among others.
The maintenance work has left water taps dry in parts of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Mogale City, Rustenburg and Madibeng.
Rand Water says the completion of the maintenance project does not mean there’ll be immediate access to the water supply.
