Introduction

1. Parliamentary submission on theeradication of the Bucket Toilet System22 & 23 February 2007Cllr. Derrick Ndlovu

2. Introduction • Roughly 4 million households without access to basic sanitation are still to be served (2010) • Of this amount, roughly 132 000 households in formalized areas are still using the bucket system (+/- 4% of the total household backlog) – these are to be eradicated by Dec 2007 • The largest concentration of buckets still to be eradicated are in the Free State, Eastern Cape & North West Provinces • Mpumalanga Province has already eradicated buckets in their formalized areas at end 2006

3. Achievements • 57 377 buckets were removed in the 06/07 financial year up to January 2007. • 24 136 buckets were removed between April and June 2006, 18 002 between July and September 2006, while 8 427 were removed between October and December 2006. In January 2007 alone, a further 6 812 buckets were removed. (DWAF Technical MinMec Report February 2007)

4. Achievements • In Mpumalanga Province the bucket system has been eradicated in all of the formalized households – this provincial programme has seen 18 862 households across five municipalities served (523 households with VIPs in water scarce areas and 18 339 households with waterborne toilets)

5. Lessons Learnt • In Mpumalanga the approach was to appoint emerging contactors in relation to the construction of toilet top structures in designated locations according to the sewer network layout plan, and professional consultants undertook the layout and construction of the sewer bulk line and house connections. • Community participation in the programme was ensured via the Local Municipalities and their Ward Structures and municipal technical sections had designated officials from within the municipalities, to work in conjunction with the appointed Project Managers and Contractors under the WSA, DWAF and DLGH Programme Managers.

6. Lessons Learnt • Progress reports were completed weekly and signed off at project level by the Contractors, Project Managers, and Municipal Officials. • Weekly site meetings were held to assess progress and bottlenecks, and monthly progress meetings held between all provincial stakeholders.

7. Combination of professional & emerging service providers on waterborne & bucketeradication – household networks and bulk plant Lessons Learnt

8. Challenges • Capital MIG fund allocations must be matched by increased municipal operating budgets (since waterborne sewage systems make use of water which is a municipal operating “trading account”) • Integrated planning within municipal WSDPs & IDPs must be strengthened in line with Provincial bucket eradication strategies & Housing linkages • Bucket eradication project feasibility studies should be preceding the design & implementation of MIG bucket eradication projects so as to prevent poor investment to municipalities & their constituents

9. Challenges • The monitoring & evaluation of MIG bucket eradication projects being implemented must be strengthened by increasing local level municipal capacity & involvement • Municipalities capacity & ability to oversee & manage appointed bucket eradication service providers must be strengthened • Increased municipal capacity to ensure sustaining, maintaining & extending existing waterborne sewage in light of the bucket eradication programme must be ensured to prevent future system failures & negative water quality & environmental impacts

10. Recommendations • Include the sustainability aspects of bucket eradication in the National Sanitation Policy revision • Ensure that there is increased alignment between the Department of Housing & sanitation sector • Establish a mandatory Sanitation Component of the MIG so as to ensure eradication of all sanitation by 2010 beyond the bucket eradication programme • Match capital MIG fund allocations with increased municipal operating budgets • Develop & endorse Provincial bucket eradication strategies & improve Mun planning in WSDPs & IDPs

11. Recommendations • Ensure Municipal bucket eradication feasibility studies are conducted • Increase monitoring of Municipal bucket eradication project implementation & improve data capture systems • Increase municipal capacity to ensure sustaining, maintaining & extending existing waterborne sewage to prevent future system failures & negative impacts • Ensure on-going financial, operating & maintenance requirements are met • Improve sector support, monitoring & regulation for all forms of sanitation

12. Service after delivery…a better life - ? Bucket system replaced with a leaking sub-standard waterborne system. The household was forced to disconnect the water supply due to municipal charges for water and therefore resorted to using the old bucket to fetch water at a standpipe to pour flush the toilet as needed...

13. THANK YOU