Water and Sanitation undertakes public consultations on Raw Water Tarriff for 2027/2028 financial year

DWS undertake public consultations on Raw Water Tarriff for 2027/2028 financial year

The Raw Water Tariff consultations are currently underway at the Protea Hotel, Kimberley in the Northern Cape. The nationwide public consultation meetings started on Monday, 13 July 2026 in Kathu, in Upington on Tuesday and in Kimberley today. The consultations will proceed to the Free State, Eastern Cape, North-West and Gauteng respectively.

The consultations aim to collectively determine raw water charges for the financial year 2027/2028 with all stakeholders and water users in the Vaal Orange Catchment Management Area (VOCMA) which spans across the provinces of the Northern Cape, Free State, Eastern Cape, North-West and Gauteng. The Department of Water and Sanitation is required to consult with different water users which include mines, industries, agriculture, energy, and domestic users.

In accordance with the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) Act No 1 of 1999 and the Raw Water Pricing Strategy that was established in terms of section 56(1) of the National Water Act No. 36 of 1998, the DWS is to annually undertake budget planning and tariff determination.

The consultation with sector organisations will enable them to make inputs to the proposed tariff increases and engage the Department on issues that range from budgeting, revenue collection, and billing complexities.

The proposed charges cover three key areas: Water Resource Management Charges, which fund water resource protection and management; Water Resource Infrastructure Charges, which support the development, operation, and maintenance of government water infrastructure; and the Water Research Levy, which funds water-related research through the Water Research Commission.

The final proposals on raw water use charges will be tabled for the Minister of Water and Sanitation for approval.