Speaking at the release of a report into the state of non-revenue water in South Africa, she said among its findings were that 1.58bn cubic metres of supplied water went unaccounted for each year.
"It is estimated that non-revenue water for the country as a whole is about 36.8% of all the water supplied."
At a nominal production cost of R4.50 a cubic metre, this amounted to a loss of at least R7.2bn a year.
Non-revenue water is water that has been pumped into the system, but is "lost" before it reaches the customer, mainly through leaking pipes, theft or metering inaccuracies.
The report, by WRP Consulting Engineers, was commissioned by the Water Research Commission, and based on data from 132 municipalities.
Highlights from the document, including the scale of the water loss, were released earlier this year.
Molewa said the 36.8% water lost in the system was "a typical average value by world standards" and lower than the the normal levels in developing countries. However, her department aimed to reduce this figure over the next decade.
"It is estimated that a realistic target for non-revenue water of 25% is achievable," Molewa said.
It would require an investment of R10bn.
"If the required investment of about R2bn a year is allocated to water demand management throughout all municipalities in South Africa this can be achieved," she said.
Currently, the amount of unaccounted-for water was roughly equal to the annual supply of Africa's largest water utility, Rand Water.
Molewa said non-revenue water should be seen as a source of water and represented a "significant opportunity" for municipalities to save water.
The report says small municipalities lose, on average, 72.5% of their water; mid-sized municipalities between 30.5% and 41,3% and metropolitan councils around 34.3%.
Speaking later to journalists, Molewa said her department had yet to apply to National Treasury for the R2bn a year needed to reduce the volume of non-revenue water. However, there was some money available in the current budget that could be used for this purpose.
Her department is addressing the skills and capacity shortages at municipalities by deploying so-called "rapid response teams" where these were needed and by training more artisans.
Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge
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