OUTCOMES AND STRATEGIC ISSUES FROM THE MCC WSLG 19 November

2 Masibambane Coordinating Committee Mandate: Overseeing sector programme performance against set sector goals and coordinating programmes implemented by different sector partners Report Period: 1 st Quarter of 2009/10 based on outcomes of meeting held on September 2009

Focus Areas of this Report 1.Financial performance of the sector 2.Programme performance of the sector 3.Local service delivery challenges and issues 4.Other activities impacting on sector programme 3

1. Financial Performance Progress Highlights About R20.7billion has been invested into the water sector for the 2009/10 financial year. This includes an international development partners’ contribution of R503million As of end of June 2009, about 10% (R2b) had been spent The Irish Aid donor portion has been reduced considerably and this has affected choice and implementation of various programmes. However Irish Aid has committed to actual amounts contained in the funding agreement, although these may be provided on a longer timeframe than initially agreed 4

1. Financial Performance (2) Emerging Strategic Issues Prioritisation of programmes is critical to ensure maximum benefit and impact of reduced funding There is a need to find ways of ensuring that Equitable Share is reported on by LG or accessing the information if available The sector must reassess and quantify whether enough resources (especially funding) are invested into water sector programmes to lead to the desired state of water services The sector must develop sustainable exit strategies (post- donor funding) for key programmes 5

Programme Performance Progress Highlights Eradication of basic services backlogs  About 8140 buckets must still be eradicated (lack of bulk WS infrastructure)  Basic water supply backlog is currently below 3 million people  Basic sanitation backlog has been reduced to 3 million households  About 500 schools must still receive adequate water supply facilities this year and 436 must receive basic sanitation facilities.  Over 85% of the poor population receive Free Basic Water  Two bulk regional water supply projects completed, and over 35 are in various stages of implementation 6

Programme Performance (2) Progress Highlights The Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement programme is succeeding (currently handling over 12 cases, most are in the agriculture sector). There are concerns that the unit is seriously understaffed given the high priority of developing sufficient regulatory capacity in the department 528 households are benefiting from the Rain-Water Harvesting programme R3.5m has been spent to support 466 resource poor farmers Blue & Green Drop certification programme is now operating in 8 provinces The Electronic Drinking Water Quality Management System is very effective…won Global Award for Excellence Over 500 specialists have been deployed in municipalities through the DBSA-run Siyenza Manje Programme. Furthermore over 1000 municipal officials are receiving training at the Vulindlela Academy. The programme will be focusing on operation and maintenance functions in the next financial year. 7

Programme Performance (3) Emerging Strategic Issues The basic water services backlogs are a moving target. This, combined with limited funding, jeopardises attainment of the 2014 targets Civil society must be increasingly involved in finding suitable and sustainable solutions towards some of the challenges related to basic water services for households and schools 8

Local Level Service Delivery Challenges Issues for further debate and action A recently completed study on the state of Waste Water Treatment Works shows that most of the plants require urgent attention. The DWA and CoGTA are working on an intervention strategy that will include addressing operational issues such as skills, operation and maintenance and bigger issues related to special funding for refurbishment, replacement, upgrading and rehabilitation 9

Local Level SD Challenges (2) Issues for further debate and action 1.The water sector must engage on the findings of the “State of Municipalities Report” and propose suitable alternatives to the current configuration of local government – powers, functions, regulation, funding, oversight, etc. Some of the emerging questions are:  Is S78 working? Is the WSP/WSA divide feasible everywhere?  Are communities adequately involved in service delivery decision- making processes? Are the communication mechanisms working? Our inputs must inform the LG Turn-Around Strategy 10

Local Level SD Challenges (3) Issues for further debate and action 2.The roles of DWA, CGTA and Human Settlements must be clarified with regards to supporting and monitoring local water services delivery functions 3.Communities require water for both consumptive and productive use and this must be factored into service level decisions 4.Implement continuous councillor development 11

Recommendations to WSLG Sector partners must be ready to engage in the LG TAS and ensuing policy debates to ensure appropriateness for water services, especially relating to:  Review of powers and functions – key principles and review of roles and responsibilities focusing on the full water services supply chain (bulk potable water to retail)  Funding of water services functions  Support to WSAs and WSPs 12

Recommendations to WSLG (2) The Asset Management and Finance STT must investigate:  How municipalities can leverage additional infrastructure funding  How the Equitable Share can be better utilised to ensure adequate funding of operation and maintenance  How to fund short-term and long-term upgrading and rehabilitation of WWTW 13

Recommendations to WSLG (3) The NSTT (Sanitation) should quantify the challenge related to basic sanitation backlogs and give an indication of:  How much should be invested in the sanitation programme to meet the 2014 targets  How the funding (MIG) could be ring-fenced to ensure focused prioritisation of sanitation  How municipalities could be assisted to develop sanitation backlog eradication plans 14

Thank You 15