Government has no plan to raise water tariffs, Minister of Water Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica said.

The minister's comments follow allegations made this week by a suspended water affairs official that the price of water was set to rise by 18 times.

State news agency BuaNews reported quoted Sonjica as saying that the department was looking at its tariff policy and would soon report to the Cabinet.

The department on Tuesday confirmed it was planning seven new water supply projects, which would be completed by 2014.

Sonjica said the seven new projects include the Mokolo augmentation project to supply water to the planned Medupi Power station in Lephalele and the Mooi-Mgeni Transfer Scheme project, which would include the construction of the Spring Grove dam around eThekwini and Umgungundlovu.

The first water delivery is expected to be made by 2013.

She also said four special water courts would be set up across the country and would run as pilot projects from next month in a bid to crack down on those who committed water abuses.

Sonjica said about 200 special prosecutors had been trained and added that she expected these courts to operate similarly to Labour Courts, in that they would only operate at particular times.

Commenting on illegal water use, the department's deputy director general Cornelius Ruiters said a fulltime unit had been dedicated to compliance and monitoring.

The department is also engaging with the Department of Agriculture to combat illegal water use.

Ruiters said water had been stolen at Mokolo, Berg and Olifants (in Mpumalanga) catchment areas and added that 250 million cubic metres of water had been illegally obtained over one year from Vaal.