By OBAKENG MAJE
4 August 2025- As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its national frameworks and regulatory mechanisms, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) said it will host workshops across the country on the Revised Compulsory National Water and Sanitation Services Norms and Standards, beginning with the national consultation to be held virtually on 5 August 2025. The DWS said the provincial consultations are scheduled to take place from 12 August to 10 September 2025.
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa said these updated standards are designed to set clear minimum requirements for safe and reliable water supply and sanitation services aligned with public health, environmental sustainability and the constitutional rights of all South Africans. Mavasa said South Africa’s revised compulsory national water standards mandate that all Water Services Authorities (WSAs) provide basic water supply services to every household within their jurisdiction.
“This minimum standard includes delivering at least 6 kilolitres of safe drinking water per household each month, ensuring availability for at least 358 days annually, and maintaining a flow rate of no less than 10 litres per minute. Most importantly, indigent households should receive this allocation free of charge initially, with tariffs applied only for excess usage.
“WSAs must also maintain infrastructure up to the user connection point, while property owners are responsible only beyond this boundary. Special attention is also required for informal settlements, where WSAs are obligated to provide interim water supply services within 90 days of discovery,” she said.
Mavasa further said these services must include communal standpipes located no more than 200 meters from households and maintain the same minimum water quantity, flow rate and quality standards as formal settlements. She added that water quality must conform to the South African National Standard (SANS) 241, safeguarding public health consistently.
“In addition to supply, monitoring and management play pivotal roles. Water services must be metered accurately, with WSAs responsible for meter maintenance, repair, and replacement within set timeframes. Educational initiatives on water use, hygiene, and groundwater management are integral to service delivery.
“WSAs are also required to formally plan and submit their strategies for upgrading all households to basic services within two years of these regulations’ promulgation. The Water and Sanitation Norms and Standards were first gazetted in 2001, per the Water Services Act, Act 108 of 1997,” said Mavasa.
She said these regulations establish mandatory national standards and measures for water conservation, covering basic sanitation, water supply, service interruptions, potable water quality and leak repair, among many other water services-related matters. Mavasa said the regulation was reviewed in 2017, with published norms and standards based on the 1998 National Water Act (NWA), the 1997 Water Services Act (WSA), and the 2016 Sanitation Policy.
“The revised Norms and Standards were gazetted in 52814 of 6 June 2025, No 6292, for implementation. The rollout aims to ensure that the Norms and Standards are widely understood, accepted, and implemented. She adds that the workshops enable the WSAs to assess their ability to comply with the revised provisions.
“In instances where immediate compliance is not feasible, WSAs must develop and submit a progressive implementation plan detailing the steps and timelines for achieving full compliance,” she said.
Mavasa said this plan must be submitted to the Integrated Regulatory Information Management System (IRIS) for consideration and approval by the DWS within six (6) months of the publication of the regulations. She said accordingly, this national rollout programme by the DWS is intended to support and facilitate regulatory compliance by equipping WSAs with the necessary information, guidance and tools as prescribed in the revised Norms and Standards.
“Affected stakeholders, including government departments that may be impacted by the regulations’ outcomes, Chapter 9 institutions, Water Boards, Catchment Management Agencies, and professional bodies, will also have opportunities to engage on the Norms and Standards,” said Mavasa.
The Guardian 