Stakeholders comment on draft Climate Change and Sustainable Hydropower Policies
Today the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) held a public consultation session at the department’s auditorium in King William’s Town offices to discuss with and allow stakeholders to comment on the draft Climate Change and Sustainable Hydropower Policies at length before they are finally adopted for implementation. This was to ensure that water issues are also clearly covered in the Climate Change and Sustainable Hydropower Policies.
As part of the comments, it was noticed that some farmers find it difficult to comply with regulations due to lack of updated information and old licenses. However, the department will hold a special meeting in the near future to discuss water-use licensing.
Further, energy and water use efficiency and ecology are not outlined clearly in the draft policy. However, the department was commended for the initiative to consult stakeholders and give them information on the hydropower policy.
The department will have to review the pricing strategy during the times of drought because water becomes scarce. The communities will benefit because they will be given rain water harvesting tanks and farmers will be assisted with irrigation systems. At least hydropower is non-consumptive which means the same quantity of water drawn out will be released back into the system.
The DWS stance on the way forward is that, if people want to generate hydropower, they must have a license from the Department of Energy and another from the Department of Water and Sanitation. The public comments will run until the end of September 2016.
Enquiries:
Sputnik Ratau (Departmental Spokesperson)
Tel: 012 336 6813
Cell: 082 874 2942 / 072 024 6797
E-mail: rataus@dwa.gov.za
Hlalanathi Fundzo (Director: Policy Development)
Tel: 012 336 6515
Cell: 083 236 8585
E-mail: fundzok@dws.gov.za
Thandile Ngcume (Communication Services)
Tel: 043 604 5418
Cell: 082 659 1422
E-mail: NgcumeT@dws.gov.za
