Issues and options for transfer of water distribution responsibility to local government structures in the Bushbuckridge, Hazyview, and Nsikazi North Areas of South Africa

Responsibility for community water supply is one of many services that are being decentralized. The TA assignment was designed to help the local governments and other stakeholders decide how to move forward in this program. The assessment found that many factors -- present condition of infrastructure, past policies of provision of free water, local governance issues and inexperience in trust between government and residents, for example -- are likely to affect the upcoming transfer of water supply to local government structures. Issues of cost recovery and, at some time in the future, self-sustaining operations and management are very big challenges for the new local units. The report provides three potential models that local governments could adopt for these water service organizations: direct (local) administration; municipal company; and contract operations and maintenance, using a private firm. The report describes these different models in the context of this region of South Africa and makes recommendations for actions and decisions that need to be made to move forward on the transfer of resources. (Environmental Health Project abstract)