The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has published the draft regulations requiring that the abstraction of water for irrigation purposes be limited, monitored, measured and recorded for public comment.
In terms of the National Water Act (36) of 1998, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, must publish regulations in terms of Section 26 of the Act, which section requires that the abstraction of water for irrigation of crops should be limited, monitored, measured and recorded.
The regulations will limit the abstraction rate, prescribe procedures, give powers to authorities and define offences. These regulations are necessary for effective monitoring and enforcement of compliance to the limits and conditions of water use authorization.
The Minister, after consultations with various stakeholders in the water sector, drafted and published a notice in terms of Section 69 of the Act on 12 December 2014 in the Government Gazette, setting out the draft regulations and inviting written comments within a period of 90 days from the date on which they were published.
This means that written comments must be submitted before 11 March 2015 to the addresses given in the notice, preferable by e-mail.
The notice can be obtained from the Government Printer’s website at http://www.gponline.co.za/Pages/default.aspx, or alternatively, from the offices of DWS countrywide.
For more information, please contact DWS’s Mr J P Nothling on telephone number 012 336 8044.
Media contact:
DWS Media Liaison Director Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
