Water service delivery conditions have not improved in Ventersdorp in the North West, the DA said on Thursday.
“Access to clean water is a constitutional right to be enjoyed by all South Africans,” said DA water and environmental affairs spokeswoman Marti Wenger.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that not all municipalities take this right seriously,” she said.
Wenger was visiting Tshing, outside Ventersdorp, to learn more about its water service delivery problems.
She said the Ventersdorp water services development plan (WSDP) compiled in March 2011 revealed that 18 households had no access to water and that 655 households (about 3,275 people) had no access to sanitation.
“The Green Drop assessment team observed that the municipality was totally unprepared, despite various notifications.”
She said the water services authority showed limited interest and knowledge of its waste water business.
“Not one of the Green Drop criteria or requirements was met during the assessment; 100 percent of all collection and treatment systems do not conform to their legal compliance or to standard norms and good practice.”
She said all aspects needed to be addressed in a systematic, risk-based fashion to achieve a minimal level of functionality, before moving the waste water business towards a more sustainable future.
“Most of the recommendations of the 2011 Green Drop Report or comprehensive Ventersdorp WSDP have not been implemented.”
The only improvement was that the waste water treatment works were now monitoring and logging the flow of waste water, she said.
“Sludge continues to be dumped at the waste water treatment site and sewerage has been flowing from the plant into the Tshing community for approximately two months. Nothing has been done about this.
“There is no reliable access to water for members of the informal settlement opposite Tshing’s Extension Five. The closest available tap is at the waste water treatment plant. Community members have to walk at least a kilometre to get there.”
She said no progress was being made in realising progressive rights - like the right to water.
The Ventersdorp local municipality could not be reached for comment. - Sapa