WSDP: MODULE 2
TOPIC 3: SERVICE LEVELS
3. SERVICE LEVELS
Having an understanding of the current situation allows the most important aspect of the
plan to be addressed, which are the service level targets. This section sets out what services
will be provided to consumers, both in terms of level of service and quality of service.
The concept of service levels relates to the options which consumers can be given with
regard to the convenience of the service and hence the amount of water which they will
consume and the associated wastewater they will generate.
There are a range of different service types which can be provided. These are clarified below
according to the types reported in the tables.
3.1. SERVICE TYPES:
3.1.1. None or inadequate
This refers to the number of consumer units (or households) that do not have access to
basic water supply or Sanitation:
3.1.2. Basic water supply comprises:

the provision of appropriate education in respect of effective water use;

a minimum quantity of potable water of 25 litres per person per day;

at a minimum flow rate of not less than 10 litres per minutes;

within 200 metres of a household, and

With an effectiveness of not more than 7 days interruption supply to any consumer per
year.
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3.1.3. Basic sanitation comprises:

the provision of appropriate health and hygiene education; and

a toilet which is safe, reliable, environmentally sound, easy to keep clean, provides
privacy and protection against the weather, well ventilated, keeps smells to a minimum
and prevents the entry and exist of flies and other disease-carrying pests.
3.1.4. Water Service Levels:

Communal water supply
See ‘basic water supply’ explained above.

Controlled volume supply
E.g. Yard Tanks
Each house is provided with a tank which holds about 200 litres. The tank gets filled up once
a day. This type of service is often referred to as an intermediate level of supply.
3.1.5. Uncontrolled volume supply
There are generally two types: either the tap stands outside the house on its own or on the
wall of an outside toilet (yard tap) or water is piped into the house to take water to taps in the
kitchen, bathroom, toilet, etc.
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3.2. SERVICE LEVEL PROFILE OF CCT
Following on a review of available data on the June 2012 number of informal settlements
and the total household estimate in the City, the estimates for both these household figures
were evaluated significantly higher. The Informal Settlement household count of 193 951
adopted was obtained after door-to-door surveys by the Solid Waste Department, replacing
the previous aerial photo count which failed to identify all the households residing under one
visible roof.
The conclusion was reached that previous household numbers had been underestimated for
the past couple of years, largely increasing the apparent challenge for sanitation provision
and to a much lesser extent for water provision. Fortunately, during the commenting and
drafting period of this plan, the results of the 2011 Census became available and have
indicated a contrary reduction in Informal Settlement dwellings to 143 823 households which
more closely aligns with an expected year on year population growth rate if the high figure of
2012 is excluded. This more realistic scenario is not yet reflected in this plan with a June
2012 base date preceding the 2011 Census outcomes.
The number of available communal taps has shown a decrease due to an operational
necessity to reduce the fitted two taps at each communal standpipe to one in order to limit
the associated problems of excessive grey-water ponding and health risks. This combined
with a GPS survey confirmation of the actual serviceable taps remaining in operation has
led to a reduction in the number of available taps, despite additional standpipes being
installed every year for several years.
The growing housing challenge in the COCT has given rise to an increasing number of
backyard dwellers in public rental stock. COCT has drafted a backyarder policy which will
include the supply of separate basic services such as electricity, refuse removal, water and
sanitation to this sector. For water and sanitation this is taking the form of an individual
metered connection via a water management device and a sewer connection with a
prefabricated toilet.
The increased density reduces the cost of new infrastructure but
increases the water demand and sewer load on existing infrastructure considerably.
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With respect to Domestic consumers, the latest October 2011 Census figures (approved by
CoCT, SDI and GIS) indicate a total of 1 068 575 households included 143 823 in informal
settlements, while the remainder of 924 752 in the formal sector included at least 74 958
backyard dwellers. The number of households classified as other (traditional dwellings
(3 768), caravan/tent (590) and other (7 903)) equated to 12 261.
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3.2.1. Residential consumer units
3.2.1.1. Situation assessment (residential consumer units)
The total number of formal and informal households is given below:
Table 1: Residential consumer units (Formal & Informal)
2011/12
Population
3 740 025
Households
1 068 575
Household categories
Formal
837 533
Informal
143 823
Other (traditional dwellings (3 768), caravan/tent (590) and other (7 903).
12 261
Total
993 617
Backyard dweller
74 958
Source: Census 2011, SDI and GIS
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Table 2: Service Level Categories for Informal Settlements
Category
Land Type
Bulk infrastructure
Available within economical
distance.
A1
Government owned land,
occupation permitted
Not available within
economical distance
A2
B
C
Private land, occupation
permitted
NA (No investment on
private land allowed)
Adverse physical conditions,
temporary occupation
NA
Occupation prohibited
NA
Distributed
space available
within
settlement
Service
Standard
Adequate
1
Inadequate
2
Adequate
3
Inadequate
4
Adequate
3
Inadequate
4
Adequate
3
Inadequate
4
Adequate
3
Inadequate
4
No.
Service Standard Target
1
Waterborne sanitation 1:5; taps 1:25
2
Managed all-in-one waterborne ablution facility with janitorial service, supplemented by portapottis on demand. Incorporates taps and basins to 1:25
3
Container or dry sanitation to technology-specific household ratio. Taps to 1:25
4
Managed all-in-one conservancy tank ablution facility with janitorial service, supplemented by
porta-pottis on demand. Incorporates taps and basins to 1:25
Note
All service points to be within 100m walking distance of households served
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Water and Sanitation Services are ideally opting for dehydration or flush toilets. A promising
new prefabricated unit which can serve up to 17 households is being piloted, excellent for
the managed ablution facility proposed. The use of pour-flush alternative technology is
being discontinued due to operational problems. “Greenfields” housing projects are
undertaken by the Housing Department to receive residents moved from land that cannot be
developed.
The City subscribes to “the water ladder” concept (as proposed in DWA’s “Strategic
Framework for Water Services, September 2003”). Whereas the City’s priority is to first
provide an emergency level of service to households in all settlements, it is also extending
the coverage and density of services in each settlement beyond the basic level as funds
allow.
3.2.2. Residential consumer units for water
The majority of Cape Town’s population, both in formal and informal settlements, receives
potable water service levels that generally meet the National minimum standards as required
by the Water Services Act 108 (of 1997).
Formal households have either a metered water connection to the house or to a yard toilet
with water tap (uncontrolled volume supply). The first 6 kilolitres per month are supplied at
no charge (free basic). Informal areas have communal standpipes and water is provided
free.
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3.2.3. Residential consumer units for sanitation
Based on previous informal settlement household estimates, the % households with access
to sanitation, monitored on a quarterly basis along with other Key Performance Indicators for
the Departmental Scorecard, appeared to exceed 100% at June 2012. This was achieved
through the rollout of various toilet technologies that demand less social and technical
planning durations (11/12 Water and Sanitation Departmental SDBIP- Fourth Quarter).
However it is acknowledged that many of the toilet types cannot comfortably sustain use by
more than 3 households while others work best for only 1 household. Taking these variable
servicing ratios and the variation in density of service points from settlement to settlement
into account, it is estimated that approximately 77 783 (as at June 2012) households still
need a better service compared to 80 364 (as at January 2012).
The general percentage distribution of households with inadequate sanitation services
correlate to a large extent with the location of informal settlements as determined through
aerial and on-site surveys and depicted in Figure 1.
Table 3: Profile of sanitation services to consumers (formal and informal)
TOILET TYPE
COUNT
HH SERVICED
Chemical
Container
4 716
5 481
23 580
27 405
Bucket
1 108
1 108
12 104
312
12 104
1 560
Dry Sanitation
Conservancy tanks
187
370
935
1 850
Dehydration – Type 1
Dehydration – Type 2
165
450
660
450
48
96
9 284
46 420
-
909 231
34 225
1 025 399
Portable Flush Toilet
Pitliner
Anaerobic
Flush
FORMAL
TOTAL
Source: Water and Sanitation Services (informal Settlements – as at June 2012)
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Figure 1: Location of Informal Areas with the City of Cape Town
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Formal households generally have water-borne sewer connections with the first 4,2 kilolitres
of sewerage conveyed at no charge (free basic). Water and Sanitation Services aim to
provide an affordable service to poor households. A free basic service is provided, in the
form of the first 6 kℓ/month water supply and the first 4,2kℓ of sewerage conveyance and
treatment free of charge to all consumers per month. A R42 Indigent Grant is applicable to
the water and sanitation tariff for qualifying households. The net result is that an Indigent
household can consume additional 4.5kl water per month and can discharge an additional
3.15 kilolitres wastewater per month (with sewerage disposal 70% of water consumption)
without attracting any charges.
3.2.4. Backyard Dwellers
The City has closed some of the service delivery gaps in informal settlements by linking
them to municipal services, as well as phasing in the provision of on-site services to
backyarders.
The backyard service programme involves the improvement of living conditions of people
living in the backyards of Council rental stock by providing improved access to municipal
services. These services will include water, sanitation, refuse removal and electricity. A doorto-door survey is being conducted with proposals on how to improve the living conditions
once the survey results have been analysed.
The initial part of this programme involves a pilot of three areas, the implementation of which
will be analysed for further roll-out to other areas. The initial three areas of Hanover Park,
Factreton and Langa will provide the necessary research information to ensure a smooth
roll-out across the city to residents in the backyards of Council rental stock. The first area
identified for implementation. The standard is anticipated to at least be comparable with that
provided for Incremental Development Areas (IDA’s) and Temporary Relocation Areas
(TRA’s).
The services as provided by Water Services ( Reticulation ) will be in the form of a concrete
structure housing a water borne toilet on the inside, with a washing trough and tap fixed to
the outside of the structure, being placed in the backyard where shack dwellings are in
place.
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Area Committees are in place in all three areas with surveys being carried out
simultaneously.
Factreton was identified as the 1st Project within the Pilot and 83
households out of 135 households are complete. The new area of focus is Hanover Park.
Registered backyarders will be listed as indigent and therefore entitled to the free services
that the City provides. This will put more users onto the billing system. Refer to Annexure A.
3.2.4 Three Backyarder Report
The water through a tap on the outside will be regulated through a tagging system, where
each backyard shack will be provided with a tagging device, and the supply to the water
closet will be regulated through a management device. The supply to this unit will be taken
off the main house supply, and all of the free portions, together with the main dwelling’s free
portion will be deducted from the account rendered to the main dwelling.
Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG) funding of R26 000 000 (2011) has been
provided for this Project and has been placed in a Human Settlement WBS.
3.2.5. Grey Water Management
The CSIR is currently undertaking a pilot project to deal with grey water runoff in informal
settlements.
3.2.6. Pit Emptying and Sludge Disposal
There are no VIP toilets in the City – these are not suitable given the ground conditions.
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3.3. FUTURE TRENDS AND GOALS (RESIDENTIAL AND CONSUMER UNITS)
High density levels: very high dwelling densities in informal settlements (on average about
140 dwelling units per hectare) make it impossible in many instances to provide either
services inside settlements or access into the settlement for operation and maintenance
purposes. This makes it difficult to provide services at an acceptable level;
Lack of co-operation from land owners: some land owners do not allow the provision of
services on their land as they want to discourage the settling of informal residents on their
land.
3.3.1. Residential consumer units for water and sanitation
Domestic Cluster
0.7%
Backyarders
13.3%
Domestic Cluster
Domestic single residential
Informal HH
21.8%
Departmental Cluster
Informal HH
Backyarders
Departmental
Cluster
0.3%
Domestic single
residential
63.9%
Figure 1: Breakdown of residential consumer units as at June 2012
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This break down in residential consumers emphasises the need to focus on improved water
and sanitation services onto informal household consumers and backyarders. In total they
make up 35% of residential customer base. The continued rapid increase in informality
could lead to large number of City households being pushed into accepting lower levels of
service.
3.3.1. Grey water management
A joint project with the CSIR is being undertaken.
3.3.2. Pit emptying and sludge disposal
Pit emptying is not applicable, while the disposal of container toilets is taken into the waste
stream.
3.3.3. Types of sanitation technology options
Refer to Table 3.
3.3.4. Informal Settlements Backlog Eradication
To achieve sanitation improved service and service the increased number of households
in informal settlements, the Water and Sanitation Department is implementing a service
provision program that is integrally tied to the 10-year Housing Plan.
The total capital requirement over the next 5 years from 2012/13 to 2016/17 to primarily
cover sanitation service provision is estimated at R247 million including allowance for a
5% household growth. Part of the funding is also required for the replacement of the
remaining black buckets.
R9.0 million is required to achieve the targeted improved water service level and provide
for the anticipated growth in demand.
The proposed programme for achieving the Strategic Objective target of 2016/17 is
aimed at an improved level of service with a minimum ratio of 1 tap to 25 households
with the tap being within 200m of any households
Ideally water and sanitation would like to achieve improved service levels within five
years. However due to various challenges, Water and Sanitation are currently only able
to deliver approximately 3 100 sanitation units per annum, some of which can service
more than a single household depending on the type installed. This should be compared
to the latest census of 2011 indicating an informal settlements household average
growth of 3 371 households per annum.
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The challenge to delivery in these areas is amplified by;

lack of space and the extreme densities of settlements

resistance from the community

Grey-water ponding problems

settlements located on private land, closed landfill sites or other unsuitable land

the level of community acceptance of non-waterborne sanitation.
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