FACTSHEET                                                                                                         6 June 2002 

CITY OF CAPE TOWN FLOW ENABLER PILOT PROJECT 

* The City of Cape Town is committed to providing 6 kl (6 000 litres) of free water to all households every month.

* This is seen as a basic human right, not a privilege.

* The City's debt management policy allows for account defaulters to receive free basic water, provided they make arrangements to settle arrears.

* With the number of both defaulters and the indigent growing, the City is battling to manage and control free basic water in these cases.

* As a result, the City is now implementing a pilot project in approximately 100 homes over a two-month period.

* A device called a flow enabler is installed.

* It restricts the flow of the free 6 kl of water to approximately 200 litres a day for 30 days.

* The City's Executive Committee member responsible for Trading Services, Councillor David Erleigh, says the device is seen as a positive and humane tool for credit control.

* It does, however, have shortcomings. Examples - meters are inclined to under-register

- a 9-litre toilet takes just under an hour to refill

- and burst water pipes could block the enabler

* All technology available has been tested in the City's laboratory.

* Pressure fluctuations influence the water flow.

* The City's Water and Finance departments are monitoring the enabler's effectiveness on a weekly basis and its impact on water account debts.

* All information collected from the pilot project will be sent to the director of water services for further assessment.

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