THE Capricorn district municipality in Limpopo has committed itself to help poor households get better basic services.

This is after the council approved a R571million budget for its operations.

The municipality's executive mayor Motalane Monakedi tabled a budget with a decrease of R32million compared to the previous financial year.

The municipality is currently sitting with a high backlog of water services, sanitation and electricity, but Monakedi claimed they had reduced by 50percent the backlog inherited in 2000.

The council will spend R120million on water services to communities that are struggling with water access.

Lebowakgomo purification plant and Mogwadi sewer treatment were also due to be upgraded to avoid waste flow in the streets and R36million had been set aside to clear the sanitation backlog.

More than 3250 households waiting for decades to get electricity will see light as the municipality had started with electrification in different villages.

Monakedi said R4million had been set aside for free basic electricity.

He said the majority of the communities in the municipality still depended on ground water but the council was looking at tapping bulk water from Nandoni and Glen Alpine dams.

The council said for it to reduce sanitation backlog, it needed R100million.

"Eradication of sanitation backlog is a major concern. We have reduced a backlog of 69percent that we inherited in 2000 to 50percent," Monakedi claimed.

However, some villagers still have to buy water and/or drink unpurified water from the rivers.