Water and Sanitation Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips, will on Thursday join Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) executive leaders and Standard Bank, in a workshop to engage on the implementation of the third National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS-3).

The department said the workshop will also be attended by representatives from different stakeholders in the water sector, who will interrogate detailed actions that are required to ensure financial sustainability of the water sector, as per the strategic objectives in NWRS-3.

The NWRS-3 is a legal instrument for implementing or operationalising the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) and is also crucial for proper management of the nation's water resources across all sectors towards achieving national government's development objectives.

The department noted that South Africa faces many and varied water security challenges, which include deficient water infrastructure maintenance, inadequacy of funds for investment, recurrent droughts, inequitable access to water and sanitation, and a lack of skilled human capacity, especially at municipal level.

To address these challenges, the department said it continuously monitors the sector and develops responsive and proactive strategies to ensure sustainable water management.

"Through its National Water Resource Strategy, which is reviewed every five years to guide water resources management in the country, the department provides the foundation for financial sustainability on the entire water and sanitation value chain," the department said.

The workshop will be held under the theme: "Ensuring financial sustainability of the water sector".