Overview
In the context of COVID-19, reliable access to fresh, clean water has become more important than ever. Having suffered through an extreme water crisis in 2018 (almost becoming the first city to run out of water), the City of Cape Town is determined to provide this service to its citizens – and Pegasys is there to help the Department of Water and Sanitation bring its new strategy to life.
The Challenges
April 2018 was no ordinary month in Cape Town, South Africa. It was a time of rising panic, as every household counted the days to “Day Zero” when the city was expected to run out of water. And while that day never quite arrived, it came unnervingly, unprecedentedly close. This crisis was compounded by significant water quality issues, reduced revenues and a real challenge in providing water and sanitation to informal settlements.
Emerging from the crisis, in mid-2019, the City of Cape Town approved a new water strategy. The strategy was designed to ensure that Day Zero never threatened the city again. By addressing water quality and expanding water access, the strategy outlined five key commitments:
- To provide safe access to water and sanitation.
- To promote the wise use of water.
- To provide sufficient, reliable water from diverse sources.
- To facilitate shared benefits from regional water resources.
- To become a water-sensitive city.
While making these commitments is a vital step in the City’s transformational journey, it will only lead to practical action when the strategy is implemented. This is where many strategies fall short and fail to drive real change. It’s also the reason Pegasys came on board in mid-2020.
The Solution
The Department of Water and Sanitation commissioned Pegasys to support and expedite the implementation of the City’s water strategy. This process was broken down into three key components:
- Facilitating an agreement to mobilise funds from the KfW Development Bank: KfW had already approved a grant of €4.5 million for the implementation of the water strategy – but required further clarity on the City’s implementable strategy and action plan before releasing the funds.
- Developing transversal programmes: A key step in the strategy and action plan involved translating the above commitments into practical, actionable programmes that embedded the strategy into the organisation on a functional level.
- Establishing a Strategy Implementation Service Unit (SISU): The final step was the design of a dedicated unit that would enable the Department to implement its water strategy sustainably.
We understand the politics of how to manage a process and build trust in our team. We very quickly became trusted advisers to the key players, which was absolutely critical in terms of getting their buy-in.
Dr Guy Pegram, Director
Results
- Now virtually complete, the implementation process has given the City a solid platform from which to move forward and achieve end goals.
- The KfW grant will be in use by early 2022.
- The identified transversal programmes have been allocated to directors and incorporated into their KPAs.
- Pegasys has developed a strong relationship with the Department of Water and Sanitation, combining Pegasys’s technical expertise with the City’s know-how to cocreate a truly effective Strategy.
- More than just a theoretical document, the Strategy has been mainstreamed into the Department’s organisational priorities and converted into practical action plans.
The Numbers
It’s not just about achieving the strategy’s goals. It’s about positioning Cape Town as a leading water utility of the world – becoming the first on the continent and thus a major achievement.
Dr Reevin Frank, Principal
