Municipalities urged to address ageing water infrastructure

WATER and Sanitation (DWS) Minister Senzo Mchunu, has called on municipalities to allocate budget for the replacement of old and ageing infrastructure, as they are the main causes of water losses and sewer spillages.

“We need to stop the leaks leading to water losses. The project called War on Leaks is closed,it does not exist. You have to declare your own war on leaks in your municipalities…. take this matter seriously and repair pipes,” Mchunu said.

Mchunu made the call during a Ministerial working session held in Mpumalanga this week.

Mchunu and his deputies, David Mahlobo and Dikeledi Magadzi met with local and district municipalities represented by executive mayors and municipal managers, as well as the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and Human Settlements departments.

During the three-day engagement with the municipalities, a number of common challenges were identified, and these included lack of maintenance of water and