Water supply and sanitation in South Africa
| South Africa: Water and Sanitation | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Data | ||
| Access to an improved water source | 93% (2015) | |
| Access to improved sanitation | 66% (2015) | |
| Continuity of supply | High | |
| Average urban water use (liter/capita/day) | 186 (2006) | |
| Average urban water tariff (US$/m3) | 1.07 (2006) | |
| Share of household metering | High | |
| Annual investment in WSS | US$38 per capita (2007) | |
| Financing of investments | 30% self-financing, 51% tax-financing and 19% loan financing (2003–07) | |
| Institutions | ||
| Decentralisation to municipalities | Substantial | |
| National water and sanitation company | None | |
| Water and sanitation regulator | None | |
| Responsibility for policy setting | Department of Water Affairs | |
| Sector law | 1997 Water Services Act | |
| Number of urban service providers | 169 | |
| Number of rural service providers | Urban service providers also serve rural areas | |
Water supply and sanitation in South Africa is characterised by both achievements and challenges. After the end of Apartheid South Africa's newly elected government struggled with the then growing service and backlogs with respect to access to water supply and sanitation developed. The government thus made a strong commitment to high service standards and to high levels of investment subsidies to achieve those standards. Since then, the country has made some progress with regard to improving access to water supply: It reached universal access to an improved water source in urban areas, and in rural areas the share of those with access increased from 66% to 79% from 1990 to 2010.
South Africa also has a strong water industry with a track record in innovation. However, much less progress has been achieved on sanitation: Access increased only from 71% to 79% during the same period. Significant problems remain concerning the financial sustainability of service providers, leading to a lack of attention to maintenance. The uncertainty about the government's ability to sustain funding levels in the sector is also a concern. Two distinctive features of the South African water sector are the policy of free basic water and the existence of water boards, which are bulk water supply agencies that operate pipelines and sell water from reservoirs to municipalities.
In May 2014 it was announced that Durban's Water and Sanitation Department won the "for its transformative and inclusive approach", calling it "one of the most progressive utilities in the world". The city has connected 1.3 million additional people to piped water and provided 700,000 people with access to toilets in 14 years. It also was South Africa's first municipality to put free basic water for the poor into practice. Furthermore, it has promoted rainwater harvesting, mini hydropower and urine-diverting dry toilets.
Water availability in South Africa varies greatly in space and time. While the West is dry with rainfall only during the summer and as low as 100mm, the East and Southeast receive rainfall throughout the year with an average of up to 1,000mm. Total annual surface runoff is estimated at 43 to 48 km3, depending on the source.
Much of the runoff is lost through flood spillage, so that the available surface water resources are estimated at 14 km3/year only. Although groundwater is limited due to geologic conditions, it is extensively utilised in the rural and more arid areas. Available groundwater is estimated at 1 km3/year. The main rivers of South Africa are fairly small compared to the large rivers of the world: For example, the discharge of the Nile River alone is about six times higher than the available surface water resources from all South African rivers together.
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