The special task team appointed in June to advise on a turnaround strategy for the water affairs department has made "considerable progress", Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said on Tuesday.

The department had had a rough time regarding negative findings by the Auditor General on its annual report over the past few years, she told a media briefing at Parliament.

Parliament's public accounts committee had also raised several concerns over the department's financial and operational management.

"We have thus appointed a committee of experts to advise over the next year on how to effect and implement a radical improvement within the [department].

"These experts possess and have a variety of skills in organisational renewal, financial and operational management, information technology, and turnaround strategies in general," Molewa said.

The committee had already started addressing a number of debilitating issues preventing the department from doing its job. One of the greatest problems facing water provision was the ageing water resource infrastructure. Initiatives to address the backlog on refurbishment of infrastructure were being developed. A rigorous asset management system would be implemented.

Another problem was linking the bulk infrastructure provided by the department to infrastructure provided by local government water services authorities. Management and treatment of wastewater and infrastructure were also being addressed.

The department was further being helped in drawing up financial plans to secure funding for managing water provision. Human resource systems were being reviewed to ensure the department had people capable of doing their jobs.