The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is calling on the public to to make inputs into the draft National Water and Sanitation Master Plan by Wednesday.
The master plan is aimed at assisting in the provision of water and sanitation services and at establishing a consolidated plan for water and sanitation management to meet future needs.
It will also identify key challenges that hamper the provision of water and sanitation services.
“The plan is necessary because there is a rapidly growing and urbanising population, meaning there is an increase in water requirements for socioeconomic growth,” DWS strategic and special projects director-general Trevor Balzer said in a statement on Monday.
He added that, owing to climate change, there were warmer and drier months overall and longer and more extreme events such as droughts and floods, resulting in less available water.
“The development of this plan comes at a time when the country is experiencing a drought, with the Western Cape currently declared a disaster area,” Balzer noted.
Some of the challenges that impact negatively on the delivery of water and sanitation include the refurbishment of infrastructure development, neglect of operation and maintenance, poor planning for future water provision, skills shortage in the sector and a high percentage of nonrevenue water.
Members of the public have until January 31 to make submissions or comments to the draft National Water and Sanitation Master Plan, which is available on the DWS’s website.