The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has raised concern over the lack of uptake and exploitation of innovations developed by the Water Research Commission (WRC).

Specifically, the committee highlighted legislative and administrative impediments that are preventing government departments from exploiting various WRC innovations amid challenges within South Africa’s water value chain.

These include increasing nonrevenue water, the pollution of river systems by inadequate wastewater treatment works and lack of access to quality sanitation.

“South Africa is faced with huge challenges within the value chain with up to 50% of treated water lost owing to water leaks and a continued lack of access to quality sanitation. It is thus concerning when innovations funded through the WRC are not taken up by government departments to solve some of the lingering challenges within the system,” said Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation chairperson Leon Basson.

“While the committee accepts the willingness for the products to be marketed in other countries, the committee highlighted that these solutions are also appropriate in the South African context.”

Basson highlighted the downstream impact, which left the country with an inability to resolve contemporary challenges and removed an important economic driver as the production of solutions at scale would create job opportunities for young people.

The committee has urged the Department of Water and Sanitation to work with the National Treasury to resolve some of the legislative impediments to enable innovative solutions to South Africa’s water and sanitation challenges.

The committee further commended the solid financial control at the WRC.

“The WRC continues to be a model entity that achieves its targets while ensuring financial stability and viability,” Basson emphasised, also welcoming the WRC’s intention to expand its footprint, thereby enhancing the impact of its knowledge and expertise.

Meanwhile, the committee welcomed the improved revenue collection rate at the Breede-Olifants catchment management agency (CMA).

“The increase from 89% in the 2023/24 financial year to 99% in the 2023/24 financial year is impressive and should be maintained. The payment of services is critical for the viability of any institution and the committee is pleased that the agency is achieving what other state entities fail to do,” he commented.

The committee also welcomed the assurance that the CMA is playing its role to fast-track water-use licence applications. The speedy processing of licences is critical to unlocking the economic potential of water use.

The committee further welcomed the Inkomati-Usuthu CMA’s achievement of 16 out of 18 targets, the meeting of which is viewed as a critical marker of quality service delivery.

The committee encouraged the agency to improve collaboration with other government agencies to ensure compliance with water quality standards.