Plans to build central water board in KZN
Umgeni Water says
plans are in place for the formation of a single KwaZulu-Natal Water Board.
The water utility says the project plan was developed by the
Water and Sanitation Department earlier this year to de-establish the Mhlathuze
and Umgeni Water Boards.
Umgeni Water's Chief Executive Cyril Gamede says while the idea is not new, it
was not implemented in the past because there was no viable model that could be
agreed to by all parties involved.
He says since 2010, South Africa has gone from having 12 water boards to nine,
with two of them in KZN.
"Areas where that don't have water boards don't have capacity to develop
bulk infrastructure. For instance, they can't build dams. I don't know any
municipality which can build a dam. I don't know any municipality which can
build a big water treatment plant.
"So, that was the idea - to make sure that there's good coverage in the
development of water resources," he said.
(File photo)