. Water boards are separate legal institutions that have their own board of governance, own assets and are required to be self funding. . They are key strategic organisations that primarily provide bulk potable water services to water service authorities (municipalities), other water service institutions and major customers within a designated service area. . There are currently 12 water boards in South Africa namely Amotola, Bloem, Bushbuckridge, Lepelle Northern, Magalies, Mhlathuze, Namakwa, Overberg, Pelladrift, Rand, Sedibeng and Umgeni. There are two water boards that have been disestablished, namely Albany Coast and Ikangala. . The water boards vary in size, activities, customer mix, revenue base and capacity. Some have been around for more than 100 years; whilst others are still considered to be new or emerging. . Most of the older and more established water boards are centred on areas where there are significant urban development nodes (for example, Rand water, Umgeni Water, Bloem Water, etc.). . Some water boards operate in more demographically diversified areas where there is considerable urban or rural mix in the customer base. . Water boards service areas typically transcend the boundaries of individual water services authorities and in a number of cases, even provincial boundaries (for example, Rand Water supplies water to Gauteng, parts of Mpumalanga, the Free State and North West Province). 2.3. Relationship with the Minister