Draft National Water Draft National Water Resources StrategyResources Strategy

BUSA submission BUSA submission to Portfolio to Portfolio Committee on Water and Committee on Water and

EnvironmentEnvironment

October 2012October 2012

Water - a global challenge Water - a global challenge requiring local solutionsrequiring local solutions

• the world has some serious water problems:the world has some serious water problems:– growing demand, competition and backlog in growing demand, competition and backlog in

basic water and sanitation services basic water and sanitation services – persistent water pollution and ecosystem persistent water pollution and ecosystem

deterioration and climate change concernsdeterioration and climate change concerns– inequitable benefit sharinginequitable benefit sharing

• water is a key issue on the business water is a key issue on the business sustainability agenda sustainability agenda

Preferred approach to revisionPreferred approach to revision• Review of current strategyReview of current strategy

• Identification of implementation challengesIdentification of implementation challenges

• Development of a revised approach based Development of a revised approach based on reviewon review

• Inclusion of clearly articulated high level Inclusion of clearly articulated high level objectivesobjectives

• Objectives supported by implementation Objectives supported by implementation instruments, which may be legislation, sub instruments, which may be legislation, sub strategies, action plans etcstrategies, action plans etc

• Support measures Support measures

Water sector challengesWater sector challenges

• Security of supplySecurity of supply• Complex regulatory regime which is not achieving Complex regulatory regime which is not achieving

required objectivesrequired objectives• Availability and mobilisation of necessary Availability and mobilisation of necessary

resourcesresources• Inadequate maintenance and operation of Inadequate maintenance and operation of

infrastructureinfrastructure• Lack of clarity on functional responsibility in some Lack of clarity on functional responsibility in some

areasareas• Private sector participationPrivate sector participation• Monitoring and evaluationMonitoring and evaluation

Security of supplySecurity of supply• Universal access to basic water supplies Universal access to basic water supplies

must be prioritised and a clear action plan must be prioritised and a clear action plan to achieve the required coverage by 2014 to achieve the required coverage by 2014 must be included in the strategy.must be included in the strategy.

• Water for productive purposes needs to be Water for productive purposes needs to be aligned with sectoral development aligned with sectoral development strategies.strategies.

• Water Demand Management is also an Water Demand Management is also an important intervention in stretching current important intervention in stretching current use of the resource.use of the resource.

Security of supply (2)Security of supply (2)Demand side managementDemand side management• Should be pursued much more aggressively, Should be pursued much more aggressively,

particularly in the water supply systems, where particularly in the water supply systems, where water losses remain unacceptably high. water losses remain unacceptably high.

• Engagement with the private sector on possible Engagement with the private sector on possible joint initiatives on water losses joint initiatives on water losses

• Industry sectors are currently working with the Industry sectors are currently working with the Department on developing audit protocols to be Department on developing audit protocols to be applied in industrial facilities. applied in industrial facilities.

Complex regulatory regime Complex regulatory regime • Reference to regulatory reform welcomedReference to regulatory reform welcomed• No indication that there is common ground on No indication that there is common ground on

the challenges.the challenges.• Business priorities: Business priorities:

– Consideration of a nationally harmonised approach to Consideration of a nationally harmonised approach to licensinglicensing

– Review of licensing processesReview of licensing processes– Introduction of a tracking system for license Introduction of a tracking system for license

applicationsapplications– Review of the approach to development of Receiving Review of the approach to development of Receiving

Water Quality ObjectivesWater Quality Objectives

• Enforcement of requirementsEnforcement of requirements

Availability and mobilisation of Availability and mobilisation of necessary resourcesnecessary resources

• Resource requirements should be included. Resource requirements should be included. • Activities should be prioritisedActivities should be prioritised• It is considered impossible to undertake all the It is considered impossible to undertake all the

proposed actions in the five year period without proposed actions in the five year period without a reprioritisation of resourcesa reprioritisation of resources

• Business recognises the need for a more Business recognises the need for a more appropriate funding model for the sector.appropriate funding model for the sector.

Inadequate maintenance and Inadequate maintenance and operation of infrastructureoperation of infrastructure

• Long standing recognition of the challenge of Long standing recognition of the challenge of water losswater loss

• Possible joint initiatives with the private sector Possible joint initiatives with the private sector should be investigated along the lines of should be investigated along the lines of demand response interventions in electricity.demand response interventions in electricity.

• Lack of maintenance, particularly at municipal Lack of maintenance, particularly at municipal level, is impacting negatively on security of level, is impacting negatively on security of supply supply

• Should compensation be available for loss of Should compensation be available for loss of production as a result?production as a result?

Lack of clarity on functional Lack of clarity on functional responsibility in some areasresponsibility in some areas

• The strategy refers to numerous institutional The strategy refers to numerous institutional arrangementsarrangements

• Sound business case should be developed for Sound business case should be developed for establishment of institutionsestablishment of institutions

• Functional responsibility needs to be clearly Functional responsibility needs to be clearly defined, particularly between DWA and new defined, particularly between DWA and new institutions.institutions.

• Water Tribunal needs to be reviewed to ensure Water Tribunal needs to be reviewed to ensure functionality.functionality.

Private sector participationPrivate sector participation

• Reference to partnership with the private Reference to partnership with the private

sector is welcomed sector is welcomed

• Practical action to achieve it should be Practical action to achieve it should be

included included

Monitoring and evaluationMonitoring and evaluation• Reference to information management Reference to information management

welcomed welcomed • A clear plan to implement a management A clear plan to implement a management

information system that allows all information system that allows all monitoring information to be stored and monitoring information to be stored and used is considered a top priorityused is considered a top priority

• Implementation of any action in the Implementation of any action in the strategy needs to be monitored and strategy needs to be monitored and evaluated. evaluated.

• Progress with implementation of the Progress with implementation of the strategy should be included in the annual strategy should be included in the annual report of the Department.report of the Department.

ConclusionsConclusions• Draft requires better organisationDraft requires better organisation• Have clear quantitative indicators of Have clear quantitative indicators of

performance with action plansperformance with action plans• Priorities from a business perspectivePriorities from a business perspective

– Universal access to water and sanitationUniversal access to water and sanitation– Use of water to support job creationUse of water to support job creation– Regulatory reformRegulatory reform– Establishment of catchment management Establishment of catchment management

agenciesagencies