WATER SERVICES: TWO DRAFT AMENDMENT BILLS RELEASED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

WATER SERVICES: TWO DRAFT AMENDMENT BILLS RELEASED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

• 17 November 2023
• Water & Sanitation
• SA Legal Academy

The Department of Water & Sanitation has called for input by 16 January 2024 on two draft amendment Bills. This follows their approval by Cabinet on 27 September 2023 for public consultation. 

The draft National Water Amendment Bill seeks, among other things, to:

• ‘prohibit the undesirable consequence of private water trading’
• provide for the ‘further protection of water source areas’
• provide for the ‘reallocation of water’
• ‘repeal the right to declare an existing lawful water use’
• ‘further regulate the governance … of water use associations and their membership’, and to
• provide for periodic reviews in respect of the national reserve, the national strategy, water use classification determinations and water resource quality objectives.

The draft Water Services Amendment Bill seeks, among other things, to:

• address gaps in existing regulations on ‘safely managed sanitation’
• improve the quality of potable/drinking water
• improve ‘the accountability of water services providers’ by way of operating licence requirements
• make registration mandatory for persons installing and operating water service works, and
• strengthen water board governance.

Please click the links below for more information:

• draft National Water Amendment Bill
• draft Water Services Amendment Bill
• 28 September 2023 Cabinet media statement

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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