Ladies and gentlemen of the media, it gives me great pleasure to present to you the final Second National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS2) following Cabinet’s approval last week.
We’ve come a long way since the first edition was published in 2004, new challenges have emerged and many changes have occurred in the Water Sector landscape of the country, changes that require new thinking and innovation. These include security of supply, environmental degradation and resource pollution, as well as the inefficient use of water.
The 2nd National Water Resource Strategy builds on what has been accomplished by the first NWRS. Since then a lot of work has been done to get us to this point. A draft National Water Resource Strategy 2 was published in the Government Gazette for input and comment by all South Africans on the 9th September 2012.
Extensive public consultations were held by the Department of Water Affairs across the country with stakeholders submitting comments and recommendations on a wide variety of issues; all this, to ensure a final product that is inclusive and representative of the views and aspirations of the broader South African community.
The NWRS is the legal instrument for implementing the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998). It is thus binding on all authorities and institutions who implement the National Water Act.
Ladies and gentlemen the NWRS2 outlines the key challenges, constraints and opportunities in water resource management and proposes new approaches that ensure we all respond collectively and adequately for the benefit of all our people. Water is a key driver of socio-economic growth and development.
As such this strategy seeks to propel us towards the achievement and attainment of an inclusive, sustainable and equitable economy. It sets out the vision, principles, goals and strategic actions for achieving effective water management.
It is important to note that the major focus of the NWRS2 is equitable and sustainable access and use of water by all South Africans. Equity and redistribution will be achieved through the authorisation process and other mechanisms and programmes, such as water allocation reform, financial support to emerging farmers and support to urban and rural economic development initiatives.
In addition the NWRS2 seeks to ensure that national water resources are managed towards achieving South Africa’s growth, development and socio-economic priorities in an equitable and sustainable manner over the next five to 10 years. The Strategy also responds to the priorities set by Government in the National Development Plan (NDP) and National Water Act imperatives that support sustainable development.
The NWRS is centred on three key objectives these are to ensure that:
- Water supports development and the elimination of poverty and inequality. The Strategy recognises that the manner in which water was allocated in past was unequal and favoured only the urban and white sections of our population. The intention is therefore to redress past imbalances in the manner in which water was allocated.
- Water contributes to the economy and job creation
- Water is protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in a sustainable and equitable manner.
The first chapter deals with the purpose and scope, reasons for revising the previous strategy, the process we followed to develop this strategy and also reflects on the NWRS1. The second chapter deals with National Strategic Imperatives, including South Africa Vision 2030 and alignment with the National Planning Commission’s Vision 2030 and National Government Outcomes. Chapter 3 focuses on the vision, goal, principles and objectives.
In Chapter 4, you will find water resources planning, infrastructure development and management, while chapters 5 and 6 address water resource protection and equitable water allocation, respectively. In chapter 7 we find issues relating to water conservation and water demand management. Chapter 8 focuses on Institutional Arrangements while chapter 9 addresses regulation of the water sector.
In chapter 10 we deal with the issue of managing water resources for climate change. In chapter 11 we address international cooperation and Trans-boundary water course management. Chapters 12 deals with financial management, while chapter 13 addresses issues of monitoring and information management. Chapter 14 deals with research and innovation. Issues of water sector skills and capacity and emerging policy and implementation of the strategy are dealt with in the last two chapters.
Water security has been the source of much debate and discussion, driven by concerns amid speculation about the country possibly running out of water and so on. I have said on a number of occasions South Africa will not run out of water.
Having said that, water supply in our country has largely been tied to surface water and its development. Reconciliation Strategies that have been developed by the Department of Water Affairs which assess the water balance against future needs will inform our future resource planning, management and investment in all provinces.
It indicates that surface water availability and its remaining development potential will not be sufficient to support the growing demand for water associated with a growing economy and population.
It also indicates to us that there is a need for greater focus on Water Conservation and Water Demand Management, increased value and utilisation of ground water, reuse of waste water at the coast as well as in inland systems, opportunity for more dams and transfer schemes, desalination and treated mine water desalination to name but a few.
In the light of an urgent need to protect our water resources, the NWRS2 emphasises water conservation and demand management as a key priority. You will also be aware of the recent research published by the Water Research Commission which indicates that non-revenue water for urban supply systems were at 36,8% over the past six years, equal to 1580 million cubic meters per annum.
This is naturally of great concern for a country that is water stressed such as ours. It is encouraging to note that some municipalities and other water services authorities have begun to address the issue of water losses. The NWRS2 emphasises that efforts must be intensified with specific targets set to reduce preventable water loss.
The successful implementation of the National Water Resource Strategy will bring about great benefit to all South Africans. As the Department of Water Affairs, in our role as custodian of water resources, we will provide the necessary leadership and guidance to ensure the achievement of the goals set out in the Strategy.
I am also confident that the entire water sector and indeed all other sectors will embrace this plan and walk this path with us in taking water resources management in our country to the next level.
I thank you!
