Water department to cut water supply to indebted municipalities

Water department to cut water supply to indebted municipalities

Residents in 30 municipalities across the country could face water cuts due to their municipalities being in debt.

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The Department of Water andSanitation has announced plans to issue notices to at least 30 municipalities stating that water supplies will be cut off by Friday 08 December 2017 should they fail to pay their water bills.

 

A total of 121 municipalities are in arrears.

 

Debt to the tune of R10.7 billion is currently outstanding.

 

In a statement, the Department of Water says 73% of this debt has been outstanding for longer than 60 days.

 

Department spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase says despite legal processes being initiated as early as two years ago, the debt continues to escalate.

 

"Six court judgments have been issued in favour of the Department. Fifty-nine courts summonses have also been issued and another 121 municipalities are involved in legal collection processes. Despite all these interventions, the water debt at municipal level continues to escalate."

 

He says the Department is now implementing Section 59(3)(b) of the National Water Act, which allows the Department to restrict or suspend the flow of water to defaulting municipalities.

 

Ndamase could not provide Jacaranda FM News with a full list of defaulting municipalities at this stage.

 

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