1. FOR THE POTFOLIO COMMITTEE 4 February 2004
DROUGHT REPORT
FOR THE
POTFOLIO COMMITTEE
4 February 2004

2. REPORT Dry season (low rainfall) Low water levels
Demand management options, & Emergency schemes
Allocations for relief funds
Progress to date
Issues to be resolved

3. DRY SEASON
2002/03 rainfall was substantially lower than normal & some areas are severely stressed

4. RESERVOIR WATER LEVELS DROP
Dams water level 20% lower than average for 02/03

5. DAM WATER LEVELS

7. DEMAND MANAGEMENT, & EMERGENCY SCHEMES
Water level drop left us with few options (awareness/conservation, restrictions, need for augmentation)
Emergency water schemes are due for completion this financial year (Kroonstad, Western High Veld and White River)
Rural water supply schemes rehabilitated & developed (Priority for human needs)
Hence relief funds were requested for
Of the R250m allocated for disaster relief, R153m was a grant for emergency water provision to municipalities

8. REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL RELIEF FUNDS
Monitoring and review of the situation in December necessitated a request for more drought relief funding
Of the R250m, R125m is earmarked for emergency water provision (R100m for domestic, R20m for stock & R5m for security)
Adequate remedial steps are essential otherwise substantial population at “hot spots” areas is at risk

9. PROGRESS
From R153m allocated to DWAF, R109m was granted to provinces for emergency water supply
The situation is closely monitored, with R44m kept aside (to be availed later on demonstrable need basis) if the conditions do not improve

10. ALLOCATIONS (R’000m) Prov 1st Alloc Kept Total Domestic Stock Security
6500 -
4000
600
750
54000 Fs
2100
1900
2000
500
1000
14000
Gau
12000
8000
20000
Kzn
21600
9256
30856
5000
950
40000
Lim
32924
7001
39935
16000
8900
66000
Mpu
15989
11070
27059
60000
154000 Nc
9963
1437
11400
1800
700
6100 Nw
7979
5320
13309
4200
400
109055
43984
153039
100000
343000

11. ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED wrt R125m
While the allocation is supported by Cabinet, tabling necessary Bill in Parliament will only be end March ’04. Treasury is expected to issue a go ahead letter in light of emergency situation
Some of this year’s normal capital fund may not be spent due to actions taken wrt drought. Option is to reschedule R125m of this CAPEX to utilise for emergency water provision initiatives

12. ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED wrt R125m
Funds earmarked for regional schemes , serving more than one local authority can’t be conditional grants to municipalities, but for DWAF’s budget
R20m for stock, to be gazetted to relevant municipalities as cond grants to enable other Depts (such as Agric) to access these grants.