NATIONAL NEWS - In a bid to cut down on high rental fees, the eThekwini Municipality will be purchasing 55 new water tankers at a cost of R133 million.
On Tuesday, the eThekwini executive committee (Exco) passed a motion that will allow the City’s water and sanitation unit (WSU) to buy water tankers within this financial year.
A report presented to Exco said the municipality currently has a fleet of 123 water tankers, however, this is “insufficient” due to the increased demand.
The increased demand has been caused by the damage to fixed water infrastructure during the April floods, the increase in population and the lack of funding for new vehicles, according to the report.
The report said that for the current financial year (2022/23), the WSU has only been allocated a budget of R23 million for the purchasing of new water tankers, which translates to nine vehicles.
To meet the current demand for mobile water tankers, the report states the City will have to reprioritise the WSU budget to fund the additional R110 million for 46 water tankers.
Procurement of additional mobile water tankers will result in savings on the operational cost and will ensure that the municipality obtains value for money.
It also states that it costs the municipality R74,5 million a year to hire 52 mobile water tankers.
Initially, Exco had in the past taken a resolution to purchase only 25 water tankers per financial year.
However, Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the City is currently undergoing a water “crisis” and the purchasing of new water tankers needed to be expedited.
We want to pull out from the hired water tankers as a resolution that we took.
Looking at the money we have spent [on hiring water tankers], we think that by the time we buy another fleet, we would have spent more than what we have spent now to secure our own water tankers.
Since July, many areas of eThekwini have been under a water rationing process due to damage to a large pipeline that transports raw water from Inanda Dam to treatment plants.
In addition, the area of Tongaat has been relying heavily on water tankers since April after its treatment plant was damaged during the floods.
Yogis Govender, DA Exco member, said the party supported the purchasing of additional tankers, but they wanted more details about the specifications of the tankers the City will be purchasing.
The motion was passed with ANC, ABC, IFP and EFF councillors voting in support, while the DA abstained.
