The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has urged municipalities to adopt best practices used by the City of Cape Town (COCT) in managing wastewater to ensure a sustainable and cleaner environment.
This after the committee received a briefing from both the Department of Water and Sanitation and the City of Cape Town.
Subsequently, the committee decided that struggling municipalities across the country can engage the COCT for benchmarking purposes for them to turn the tide of poor wastewater management.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs must encourage municipalities to interact and resolve this old challenge in the country,” said Leon Basson, the chairperson of the committee.
“It is only through collaboration and sharing of best practice that communities will be saved from overflowing untreated water into the environment which has a negative impact on the ecosystem.”
While the committee acknowledged that the COCT is in a much better place regarding revenue collection and availability of resources including workforce as workers prefer working in urban settings, planning and better waste water management should not depend on revenue base.
The standard set by the COCT, especially its forward-looking model of infrastructure development and maintenance should be adopted by all municipalities.
The committee was informed that the City has a 20-year capital investment programme which will assist it to plan better and channel resources towards infrastructure development and maintenance.
“The investment of an estimated R 6.1 billion Capital investment programme over the next 10-year period is a welcomed initiative and will ensure increased access and better management of the system,” Basson said.
The committee welcomed the City’s adoption of new technologies in its wastewater system to enhance efficiency and reduce sewer spillages.
The implementation of the SMART grid, CCTV inspections, and a Control Room is expected to improve response times to spillages and optimise operations.
However, the committee expressed concern over the Green Drop report, which found that three of the City’s 26 wastewater treatment works—Gordons Bay, Zandvliet, and Klipheuwel—were operating above capacity.
It urged the City to prioritise these facilities and expand their capacity to ensure compliance with effluent standards.
“The resources wasted in removing these foreign objects can better be utilised in maintaining the system thereby ensuring a much functional system.” Basson said.
The committee has also called for improved communication and public awareness through community engagement to reduce these challenges.
“A collaborative effort is necessary to resolve challenges where they exist, and other municipalities must follow this example as it is the only thing that will prevent escalation of challenges,” Basson said.
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