To address key risk and/or success factors extended partnerships with municipalities, and the agricultural, industrial (including mining), energy and business sectors is required. A core concern is the way in which some municipalities are managing infrastructure and associated grants. Other challenges faced by municipalities in relation to infrastructure relate to operational budgets for service delivery and funding to maintain the current infrastructure. In cases where municipalities have taken the additional infrastructure, the requisite skills to function effectively is limited due to limited technical staff. Another concern is the fact that some municipalities, after the demarcation process, are required to deliver, operate and maintain services across much larger areas than previously. To address this, the Department has entered into a collaborative arrangement with COGTA, which includes work streams covering accelerated delivery, high-risk areas, debt recovery, and finance and skills development. It was noted that functionality of water infrastructure does not at present form part of the mandate of this arrangement. Furthermore, the Department embarked on the development of a national water investment framework and the development of an interim basic service programme focusing on 24 priority district municipalities, mainly in Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo and Eastern Cape.