South African consumers could face a water tariff hike of up to 16% in the next financial year.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has been engaging with various stakeholders to determine the water tariff increase.
The country invests more than R50 billion per annum in water infrastructure and treatment.
Water expert, Professor Mike Muller, has warned that the water crisis is far from over.
“The National Water Act actually allows for water to be managed at a regional catchment level. So you could set up catchment management agencies. You would bring in all the stakeholders, the municipalities, the farm industries, the mines sitting around the table and making sure that the water keeps working. Those are the people most interested in keeping water supply working.”
Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sputnik Ratau says, “The tariffs that we have taken into consideration – the state of the economy, affordability – they take into consideration the work that we have to do because it is important for us to also understand that these tariffs are supposed to assist the department and the agencies to be able to do other work that is in line with their mandate.”
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