Non-revenue water reduction programmes funded by the private sector to solve under staffing at Kwa-Zulu Natal’s municipalities.

Abstract

Abstract Over the last two decades and more recently in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape provinces have seen droughts that destabilised these cities socially, economically and financially. The solution was to responsibly and frugally use the available potable water and the reduction of Non-Revenue Water has to become a priority. Kwa-Zulu Natal province in SA had the worst reported, vacancy rates for water units and the highest NRW percentages. The main purpose of this study was to present the true vacancy rates actually were for all the NRW units within the District Municipalities in KZN, assess the current heads of these units on their knowledge of NRW principles and to understand the reasons for the vacancy rates. Lastly, the study attempted to present how these public officials inclinations were if they employed Shared Water Saving Contracts to reduce NRW rates, reduce their vacancy and increase their knowledge and skills on NRW if these contracts were funded by the private sector. The full population of the heads of NRW units for the thirteen DMs in the province took part in the questionnaire survey for this quantitative study. The salient findings were that the last published vacancy rates were 17.8% for KZN but the true vacancy rates within NRW units was found to be 57.9% which included unbudgeted posts as well. Over 60% of the reasons for this situation was that there was insufficient budget and their superiors not understanding the importance of NRW reduction. Just under half the participants were considered to have a poor knowledge on NRW fundamental concepts. However, these officials do believe that SWSCs could be used as an alternate funding model to help reduce the vacancy rates, increase NRW knowledge of these officials and have the private sector fund these projects. It is recommended that more training and seminars need to be held within SA to capacitate Municipal officials on NRW. It is also recommended that all DMs run pilot SWSC projects as fast tracking this process to get the private sector funding as soon as possible and arrest the high NRW figures being reported which will have a knock-on effect of delaying possible drought and water scarcity issues going forward. Keywords: alternative funding model, drought mitigation, non-revenue water, shared water savings contracts, vacancy rates