6 ASSOCIATIONS
Survey reveals municipal services lacking
By
David Poggiolini on behalf of IOPSA
Water is not only essential for all life , health , and hygiene but it is also the most basic requirement for any economic activity to take place . For our country to progress , grow and prosper , it is critical that we secure and protect our most precious resource – water . In this regard , municipalities and water authorities play a crucial role and it is important that they get it right .
Just more than 20 of the water services bylaws that we assessed received an overall scoring of more than 60 % for their ability to help municipalities control the quality of plumbing work that is undertaken in their jurisdictions . The overwhelming majority received scores well below 50 % because they were outdated and lacked relevant plumbing-related content . Bear in mind that we were only able to obtain water services bylaws from 77 municipalities for this study . This means that there are potentially 201 municipalities that do not have water services bylaws .
Our findings are a concern and corroborate expert opinion that many of South Africa ’ s municipalities are in deep crisis . It has been reported in the media that more than a quarter of South African municipalities are uncertain about their ability to continue functioning due to severe financial constraints . This has had an adverse impact on the delivery of essential basic services to South African citizens . Water and sanitation are among those services that have been disrupted for prolonged periods due to the ongoing deterioration of this crucial level of government that is responsible for the implementation of important policies and legislation , such as the Water Services Act . This is also evidenced by a significant increase in service delivery protests following a year long hiatus , mainly due to restrictions that were imposed on the movement and gathering of people to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus in 2020 .
Our research shows that the entire water and sanitation services value chain has been compromised . It is not only important municipal service delivery assets that are deteriorating . Those critical systems on properties that are intended to deliver safe drinking water and dispose of waste streams without harming communities and the environment are also in jeopardy due to substandard plumbing workmanship . Unfortunately , this aspect of the water and sanitation value chain very seldom receives the attention that it deserves . It is often overshadowed by other issues that are incorrectly perceived to be of more importance , such as the construction of new , as well as the maintenance and operation of existing municipal assets .
Municipalities need current and comprehensive regulations that incorporate mandatory quality standards and astute clauses in the Model Water Services Bylaws to enable them to effectively regulate the quality of plumbing work that is undertaken in their jurisdictions . This is to safeguard against inferior installations , repair and maintenance of plumbing systems that pose a potential risk to communities and the environment , as well as property and municipal assets .
The lack of a clear definition of a qualified plumber and the role that they are permitted to fulfil in most of the water services bylaws that we scrutinised is a concern . It implies that municipalities are either not aware of the need for stringent plumbing standards or have chosen to deliberately ignore them at the peril of communities , the environment , property , and municipal infrastructure .
Qualified plumbers complete three years of theoretical and practical training before they write their trade test to ensure that they are competent .
IOPSA
The exclusion of these definitions , as well as other important terminology , such as ‘ rainwater ’, ‘ grey water ’ and ‘ backflow ’, in the water services bylaws enables unqualified ‘ plumbers ’ to undertake critical plumbing work on properties without any consequences . As a
www . plumbingafrica . co . za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline January 2022 Volume 27 I Number 11