Draft National Water Amendment Bill

The Department of Water and Sanitation has published the draft National Water Amendment Bill and is asking you to comment.

The Bill seeks to amend the National Water Act, 1998, so as to:
• insert and amend certain definitions;
• ensure equitable water allocation and optimize the use of water in support of the guiding principles of National Water Act;
• prohibit undesirable consequences of private water trading;
• further provide for the purpose of the Act;
• provide for the review period of the national water resource strategy to be increased to 10 years;
• provide for the periodic review of the determination of a class of a water resource and a water resource quality objectives;
• provide for the period review of the Reserve;
• further provide for the protection of water source areas;
• further provide for the transfer of water use authorisations;
• provide for the reallocation of water;
• further provide for the making of regulations;
• repeal the right to declare an existing lawful water use;
• provide for additional controlled activities;
• further regulate the governance matters of water user associations and their membership thereof;
• provide for the transformation of water user associations; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Comments can be emailed to Mr Mapula Khuduga at [email protected] or [email protected] by no later than Tuesday, 16 January 2024.

Enquiries can be directed to Mr Mapula Khuduga on tel (012) 336 7835