Wateris life and sanitation is dignity. Water is essential for the well-being ofhumankind, a basic requirement for the healthy functioning of many households.Water is the lifeblood and central to development. Water Supply and SanitationPolicy (1994:1) indicates that the contribution of water and sanitation todevelopment is far wider than their impact on households, and that they need tobe properly managed in order to bring maximum benefit for the country as awhole.
Roberto Lenton and Albert Wright (2005:3) explains that sufficient wateris needed by households for daily use in cooking, bathing, washing andsanitation facilities are central to the basic right of every human being forpersonal dignity and self –respect. In South Africa, the National Water Billhas prioritized access to water by all as a key aspect of water provision(Bakker and Hemson 2000: 5). nativeHumanexistence is dependent on the availability of water for use in households, forsanitation purposes, food preparation and for productive purposes such asfarming, fisheries, forestry and in the industries.
With that being said the currentMinister of Water and Sanitation, has been quoted saying that “there is a needto ensure that solutions to water and sanitation challenges include opening thesector to those that have been disenfranchised” (IMIESA, September 2014:15).Majority of communities depend on local government to provide water andsanitation. The goal of Government is thus to ensure that all South Africanshave access to essential basic water supply and adequate sanitation at costwhich is affordable both to the household and to the country, Water Supply andSanitation Policy (1994:1).WhitePaper on Basic Household Sanitation (2001:13) point out that communityparticipation and involvement is important. It further mentions how governmenthas a constitutional responsibility to ensure that all South Africans haveaccess to clean water and adequate sanitation.
The way in which sanitationservices are provided must take into account the growing scarcity of goodquality water in South Africa.
