Water Meters in Sectional Title Schemes have been an ongoing debate since its announcement in 2018. It’s hard to imagine that just 5 years ago the City of Cape Town was scraping the bottom of the barrel of our water supplies.
The Citywide drought jump-started a massive waterworks infrastructure overhaul that started all the way back in 2018 when the City of Cape Town amended their water laws to include tighter management of Water Meters in Sectional Title Schemes.
As part of this amendment, each individual unit of a sectional title scheme needs to have its own water meter installed and the Body corporate has to ensure its bulk check meter is upgraded to the City’s new approved standard.
The City made the bold decision to launch a 10-year infrastructure upgrade plan which aims to overhaul and improve current public service infrastructures, with a big focus on the City’s waterworks (including various other portfolios). The upgrade was a welcomed decision and the City immediately began work starting with upgrading and replacing water pipes and plans to replace a further 50 000 meters of pipe around the city.
It’s been 1 month since the CoCT approved it’s R120 billion, 10-year infrastructure upgrade and it should come at no surprise that work has already begun on the City’s waterworks portfolio. Major upgrades to Potsdam and Zandvliet wastewater treatment plants are on the way to ensure that Capetonians have as many additional sources of water as possible if ever we are to face another drought.
How does this affect Water meters in sectional title schemes?
Like any investment, it needs to be maintained and monitored.
The CoCT is putting hundreds of thousands into its waterworks infrastructure and so it should come as no surprise that as these improvements are made, that water law amendment from 5 years ago will start being enforced more consistently.
We have already seen huge fines being administered to owners of units in sectional title in Muizenberg, The Atlantic Seaboard and CBD. It really is only a matter of time until all properties will be inspected for compliance in this regard.
The city doubled down on these by-laws in 2019 when they announced that failure to comply could result in jail time for owners who have not installed separate water meters in sectional title schemes.
Are you Compliant?!
Not sure if you are compliant? Or where to start to get compliant? Contact Water Utilities Solutions today and speak to one of our specialists with over 35 years of experience.
Water Utility Solutions offers services to help Sectional Title Owners, Landlords, Property Management Services and Property Developers comply with the New Cape Town Water By-Laws.
We Install, Manage and Finance Water Meters for Sectional Title schemes and Body Corporates!
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