About Us

Amatola Water is an essential water services utility in the Eastern Cape.  Amatola Water’s primary activity, as stipulated under the provisions of Sections 29 and 30 of the Water Services Act No. 108 of 1997, is to provide bulk water services.

In 1998 Amatola Water started providing water services primarily to municipalities. Sections 29 and 30 of the legislation state that the primary activity of a water board is to provide bulk water services, secondary activities being subject to such activities not affecting the water board´s primary role and capability.

Since its establishment Amatola Water’s gazetted operational area has been grown more than three-fold to 47,515 km2, covering Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo, Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Chris Hani District Municipalities of Eastern Cape together with lesser portions of the Joe Gqabi and Sarah Baartman Districts.

Background

Amatola Water’s gazetted area was proclaimed during its establishment in 1997, and later expanded in 2010. The current gazetted area includes Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), Ndlambe, Ngqushwa, Great Kei, Mnquma, Mbhashe, Amahlathi, Intsika Yethu, Raymond Mhlaba, Enoch Mgijima, Emalahleni and Sakhisiwe Local Municipalities.

In February 2014, the Minister of Water and Sanitation issued a directive, in terms of Section 41 of the Water Services Act, which required AW to prepare a Due Diligence report for Amatola Water to be realigned into the Southern Regional Water Utility, which was submitted on 31 March 2014.