Infrastructure
- (a) What role does his Department play in addressing water scarcity in the province, particularly regarding desalination and alternative water infrastructure, and (b) what funding sources are being used by his Department to support desalination and other alternative water supply projects;
- whether there are any desalination and alternative water infrastructure projects that the Department has facilitated; if so, (a) where are they located, (b) what is their current water-yielding capacity (in megalitres per day) and (c) what measurable impact have they had on water security;
- whether there are any new desalination and alternative water infrastructure projects currently planned; if so, (a) what is their expected water-yielding capacity and (b) timeline;
- beyond desalination, what other infrastructure interventions is his Department prioritising to strengthen the long-term water resilience of the province?
(1) (a) In terms of the Constitution, water and related services are responsibilities of the National Government and Municipalities, supported by Water Boards. The Department of Infrastructure has no direct role in providing infrastructure for desalination and alternative water provision or allocating funds for these. Despite this, during the previous drought the Western Cape Government took active steps to protect and to supplement municipal water supplies and has since formulated a comprehensive Water Resilience Strategy [2025 – 2035) aimed at securing the Province’s water future through sustainable management, innovation and partnerships.
(b) The funding for the above came from the Provincial Equitable Share.
(2) During the 2015 - 2018 water crisis the former Department of Transport and Public Works was tasked with the coordination of business continuity plans to enable departments to deliver services if municipal water supplies became constrained. This included minimising WCG demand on municipal water supplies where possible and accessing groundwater systems through the drilling of boreholes.
- Groundwater supplies were installed at the following points:
- Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute
- Elsenburg Agricultural College
- Vangate Shared Services (no data loggers)
- Bonnytoun
- Clanwilliam CYCC
- Dan de Villiers
- De Novo Treatment Centre
- Gene Louw Traffic College
- Horizon Youth Care Centre
- Lindelani CYCC
- Metro South Social development
- Vredelus House
- York Park
- Beaufort West Hospital
- Caledon Hospital
- Groote Schuur Hospital
- Khayelitsha Hospital
- Knysna Hospital
- Lentegeur Hospital
- Paarl Hospital
- Stikland Hospital
- Tygerberg Hospital
- Victoria Hospital
- Alexandra & Valkenberg Hospital
- Alfred Street CMD
- Bishop Lavis CHC
- Brooklyn Chest Hospital
- Clanwilliam Hospital
- Crossroads CDC
- Delft CHC
- District Six CHC
- DP Marais Hospital
- Eerste River Hospital
- Elsies River CHC
- Grabouw CDC
- Grassy Park CDC
- Groote Schuur Hospital (TMNP borehole)
- Gugulethu CHC
- Hanover Park CHC
- Heideveld CHC & WCCN
- Karl Bremer Hospital& Green Building 47 Khayelitsha CHC (Site B)
- Kraaifontein CHC
- Lady Michaelis CDC
- Laingsburg Hospital
- Lotus River CDC
- Maitland Cottage Home
- Malmesbury Infectious Disease Hospital
- Michael Mapongwana CDC
- Mitchells Plain CHC
- Mowbray Maternity Hospital
- New Somerset Hospital
- Ravensmead CDC
- Red Cross Children's Hospital
- Retreat CHC
- Sonstraal Hospital
- Stellenbosch Hospital
- Symphony Way CDC
- Vredendal Hospital
(b) It should be noted that during March 2024 these water facilities at a number of hospitals and Community Health Centres were placed under the management of the Department of Health and Wellness and that across the board a significant number were mothballed for future use only. The water-yielding capacity will therefore have to be redetermined depending upon groundwater levels.
(c) These facilities ensured that during the earlier water crisis, service delivery remained possible at these points despite constrained municipal water supplies.
(3) The Department of Infrastructure continues to apply water conservation measures in all buildings for which it is responsible, as reflected in the annual Property Efficiency Report. The majority of the infrastructure funds mentioned in the Water Resilience Strategy are earmarked for much-needed maintenance.
(4) Where the provincial road network is impacted by the provision or expansion of water supplies, the Department ensures that the necessary changes are made to enable increased water delivery e.g. the expanded Clanwilliam Dam etc.
