In the context of the current 2026 water crisis and the ongoing management of the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) supply, the term “operators” often refers to the specific entities or bulk suppliers that feed into our municipal grid.
While the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) holds the exclusive legal right to provide and sell water to the general public within its boundaries, the city’s supply is actually a collaboration between six key bulk operators and partners.
Here are the six entities formally authorized to supply, manage, or augment the water volume for the NMB Metro:
- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM): The primary Water Services Authority (WSA). They are the only entity authorized to retail water to residents via the municipal billing system.
- The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS): The national “owner” of the water. They manage the bulk allocation from the Gariep Dam (Orange River Project) which provides 65% of our supply.
- Amatola Water: A state-owned water board formally appointed as the “Implementing Agent” to manage bulk water infrastructure projects (like the Nooitgedagt Scheme) that bring water into the Bay.
- The Sarah Baartman District Municipality: Since NMB relies on dams located outside its borders (like Churchill and Impofu), this district is a formal partner in the regional water management scheme.
- Cerebos (Desalination): A critical private-sector partner. Their desalination plant in Coega provides a formal augmentation of roughly 500,000 litres per day to the municipal supply during peak crisis periods.
- The South African Breweries (SAB) / SWPN: Under a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in 2022, SAB acts as a private-sector operator to assist in Water Loss Management and infrastructure repair, effectively “supplying” water back into the grid by reducing leaks.
It is important for users to know that private water tankers (such as Bay Water Supplies) are registered businesses, but they are not “operators” in the legislative sense—they are secondary resellers. If a resident buys water from a tanker, they should ensure the company has a formal municipal permit to extract water from authorized boreholes, as unauthorized extraction is currently a major focus of municipal enforcement in 2026.
The “Safe Supply” Checklist: How to Verify a Water Tanker
In a 21-day outage, the temptation to buy water from any passing tanker is high. However, using unauthorized or untreated water in your home system can lead to biofilm buildup in your pipes or, worse, health issues for your family.
Before you let a private operator hook up to your tank or home inlet, run this 5-Point Verification:
The NMBM Authorization Decal
Legitimate private operators must be registered with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
What to look for: A valid municipal permit or a certified letter of authorization from the Directorate of Infrastructure and Engineering.
The Red Flag: If the driver cannot produce a permit number, they may be extracting water illegally from fire hydrants or unmonitored boreholes, which compromises the city’s water pressure for everyone.
Source Transparency
Ask the driver: “Where exactly was this water drawn from?”
The Safe Answer: “A municipal standpipe in [Ward Name]” or “A licensed commercial borehole in [Location].”
The Dangerous Answer: “A local stream,” “A private garden well,” or a vague “From a farm nearby.”
The “Food Grade” Tank Check
Not all tanks are created equal.
The tanker must be Food Grade Certified (often marked with a glass and fork symbol or a specific HDPE rating).
Many “fly-by-night” operators use industrial chemical tanks that haven’t been properly neutralized. If the tank looks rusted, recycled from a construction site, or has a chemical odor, do not pump it into your home.
Logbook & Batch Testing
Professional operators maintain a logbook.
Ask to see the latest Batch Test or the date the tank was last sanitized. Authorized sellers should have their water tested for E. coli and Coliforms regularly.
The “Anti-Siphon” Connection
When the tanker connects to your home, ensure they are using a clean, dedicated hose.
Why it matters: Hoses dragged through the street can pick up contaminants. Ensure the operator uses a proper coupling that doesn’t allow “backflow” from your tank into their truck, as this is how cross-contamination happens between different households.
If you see a tanker extracting water from a municipal fire hydrant without a clear “Authorized Contractor” sign, please take a photo and post it in the MyNMB Forum.
