WATER ALLOCATION REFORM (WAR)

Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs

16 April 2013

PURPOSE

To appraise the PCWEA on the WAR program and provide progress to date

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORKThe Constitution, 1996

Fundamental Principles & Objectives for a New South African Water Law, 1996

National Water Policy, 1997

National Water Resource Strategy, First Edition, 2004

National Water Act, 1998

Implications for Water Implications for Water Allocation ReformAllocation Reform

POLICY OBJECTIVES

The overarching objective of these National Water Policies is to achieve –

► Equity - in access to water resources and services, the use of water and the benefits from water use

► Sustainability - through measures to protect water resources to ensure indefinite availability for human use

► Efficiency – in the way all water is used

Equity, sustainability and efficiency are all intimately related to Water Allocation Reform

WHY DO WE NEED A PROGRAMME FOR WHY DO WE NEED A PROGRAMME FOR WATER ALLOCATION REFORM?WATER ALLOCATION REFORM?

1) To promote proactive action for redress

2) To achieve sustainable and equitable development

3) To support poverty eradication & economic development

4) To help balance resource protection, equity and growth

WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING CONSIDERATIONS?CONSIDERATIONS?

1) The way we allocate water can have severe economic, political, social and ecological consequences

2) Where we must re-allocate water – minimise the impacts on the economy

3) We must make sure that everyone has the capacity to use the water productively and responsibly

4) We must support development – but in an ecologically sustainable way

IMPLEMENTATION OF WAR • There are two options of implementing WAR and are depending on the water status of the catchment

WHERE WATER IS AVAILABLE• the water use licensing process is being implemented taking into account the redress requirements (sec. 27 of the NWA)

WHERE WATER IS NOT AVAILABLE• Compulsory licensing process is undertaken (sec. 43 – 48 of the NWA)

APROACHES TO ACHIEVE EQUITY IN TERMS OF WAR STRATEGY

The Water Allocation Reform Strategy (WARS) proposes strategic

mechanisms to achieve the set targets:

•Set-Asides

•General authorizations ( very limiting )

•Strategic alignment with other national initiatives

•Compulsory Licensing

•Partnerships

•Review of the current WAR strategy

WHAT IS COMPULSORY LICENSING?

COMPULSORY LICENSING IS A

PROCESS WHERE YOU PUT ALL THE

WATER BACK

THEN DIVIDE THE REST UP MORE FAIRLY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL SOUTH AFRICANS (locally, regionally

& nationally)

SET ASIDE SOME FOR THE RESERVE, STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

WHAT IS COMPULSORY LICENSING?

COMPULSORY LICENSING CAN BE USED TO [43(1)]:-

ACHIEVE FAIR ALLOCATION IN STRESSED CATCHMENTS

REVIEW CURRENT WATER USE TO ACHIEVE EQUITY

PROMOTE THE BENEFICIAL USE OF WATER

FACILITATE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECT QUALITY

IT ALSO:

LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD (benefits for all)

LOOKS AT THE BIGGER PICTURE (aligns water allocations and other planning processes)

FOCUSES RESOURCES ON ACHIEVING EQUITY, AND

GIVES GREATER SECURITY TO EXISTING USERS.

WHY DO COMPULSORY LICENSING?

PROCESS FOR COMPULSORY LICENSING…

12

13

PROGRESS ON COMPULSORY LICENSING

• CL has been initiated in 3 catchment namely • Mhlathuze ( KZN)• Tosca ( Northern Cape)• Jan Dissel ( Western Cape)

• To date :• Tosca has been completed• Jan Dissel Preliminary Allocation Schedule gazetted• Mhlathuze Proposed Allocation Schedule gazetted

SUMMARY OF TOSCA ALLOCATION

WATER USE SECTOR HDI NON HDI TOTAL (WATER)% HDI PER

SECTOR

Cubic Metres Cubic Metres Cubic Metres

IRRIGATION 2 616 581 6 983 827 9 600 408 28%

MUNICIPAL

340 870 N/A

340 870 100%

SUMMARY OF JAN DISSEL ALLOCATION

WATER USE SECTOR HDI NON HDI TOTAL (WATER) % HDI PER SECTOR

Cubic Metres Cubic Metres Cubic Metres

IRRIGATION 2 422 238 1 763 185 4 185 422 58%

MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL

373 565

71 155 444 720 84%

STORAGE 590 590 608 850 1 199 440 49%

SUMMARY OF MHLATHUZE

WATER USE SECTOR HDI NON HDI TOTAL (WATER)% HDI PER

SECTOR

Cubic Metres Cubic Metres Cubic Metres

IRRIGATION 29 433 843 73 609 635 103 043 478 29%

FORESTRY 34052 19448 53500 63%

WATER APPLICATIONS AND ALLOCATIONSURBAN / MUNICIPAL & INDUSTRIAL MHLATHUZE

MUNCIPAL & INDUSTRIALApplied Volume Cubic Metres per

Annum

Allocated Volume Cubic Metres per

AnnumPercentage

WATER BOARDS 108 124 000 97 311 600 90%WSP 45 928 480 32 726 464 71%PHOBANE 16 032 450 1 080 000 7%HDI 1 768 440 1 601 694 91%NON HDI 25 451 922 14 392 104 57%TOTAL EXISTING 197 305 292 147 111 863 75%

NEWWSP 25 801 156 23 325 999 90%NON HDI 1 144 763 1 142 316 100%HDI 3 960 3 960 100%TOTAL NEW 26 949 879 24 472 274 91%TOTAL 224 255 171 171 584 137 77%

INCORPORATION OF WAR INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLANNING(IDP)

The Evaluation Framework for Municipal IDP developed under the Municipal Systems Act No.32 of 2000, requires that sector departments(provincial and national):

• Assess all the adopted (or draft) IDPs;• Participate in the development of IDPs and adoption of

IDPs; and• Provide names of relevant senior officials to participate

in the IDP assessment sessions.

INCORPORATION OF WAR INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLANNING(IDP) CONT...

In line with these requirements, the DWA undertook to:• Ensure that the  national Evaluation Framework for Revised IDP incorporates

water to be allocated for economic use and the balance between economic sectors.

• Participate in national and provincial planning and IDP forums which coordinates the IDP process(development and implementation) through COGTA.

• Provide written comments/input into the approved IDP, with a specific focus in ensuring that water issues are taken into account when doing project plans.

These activities are ongoing and through this platform DWA is able to identify and support those projects with quick wins in achieving WAR targets.

WATER SET ASIDEWATER MANAGEMENT

AREAAMOUNT OF WATER SET ASIDE (IN HECTARES OF IRRIGATION)

AMOUNT OF WATER SET ASIDE (IN 000m/3)

AMOUNT ALLOCATED

7. UTHUKELA 1 000 3 000 350 ha 1050 000 m3

10. LOWER VAAL(NC) 6 600 (Taung Irrigation Scheme)

60 324 3900 ha allocated and the remaining 2700 ha is awaiting the infrastructure revitalisation that will improve capacity for uptake.

13. UPPER ORANGE(FS) 3 000 (FS)1000 (EC)

26 0009 000

1089.1 ha allocated(COMBINED)

14. LOWER ORANGE(NC) 4 000 70 050 2601 ha allocated. Current applications recommended by CCAW and the 1000 ha reserved for BOSRA development already exceed the 4000ha.

15. FISH TO TSITSIKAMMA(Lower Sundays)

4000 ha 38 000 No recorded uptake

TOTAL OF WATER SET ASIDE IN WMAs

15 270 178 374

PROGRESS ON WATER USE AUTHORISED TO HDIs

SUMMARY OF LICENCES ISSUED TO HDI’s AND BREAKDOWN PER REGION AND VOLUME

REGIONAL OFFICES TOTALS

EC FS GP KZN LP MP NC NW WCTotal Licences Issued

483 218 154 1470 425 384 665 149 337 4284

Total Licences Issued to HDI’s

114 11 2 1051 299 19 30 2 1 1518

Total Volume Allocated (m3/a)

262096832 216110536.2

1581232270 387919574.4

113143730 314473381.4

1411893900 256131369.8

136849244.5

4 679 850 838.3

HDI’s Volume(m3/a)

7427966 6923520 1018000 5060205 35804022 2678303 12565788.9 208103 1075000 72 760 907.9

HDI’s Allocated Volume Percentage (%)

2,8% 3,2% 0,06% 1,3% 31,6% 0,8% 0,8% 0,08% 0,8% 1.6%

SUMMARY OF LICENCES ISSUED TO HDI’s AND BREAKDOWN PER SECTOR AND VOLUME

  SECTORS  

  AGRICULTURE MINING FORESTRYLOCAL

GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY TOTALS 

Total Licences Issued

1797 312 1553 435 187  4284

Total Licences Issued to HDI's

327 26 1162 1 2  1518

Allocation/Volume per sector

1190279118m3/a 1509598460m3/a17983.022

HECTARES 797124202.8m3/a 929897051m3/a  

Allocation/Volume per sector for HDI's

66277998m3/a 34016609m3/a7784.7

HECTARES 0 258000m3/a  

ISSUES/ CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WAR

Disproportionately large number of authorisations still in the hands of Whites;

Most water use applications being received from whites without any demonstration/indications of how they are to contribute to redress and equity;

Water resources in some catchments already depleted;

Difficulties experienced by blacks to participate in water resource management and to use water for productive purposes.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS TO WAR CHALLENGES

Promote awareness to HDI on access to water for economic development;

Prioritizing validation and verification of water use so as to release water for equity;

Strengthening cooperative governance with (DRDLR; DAFF) other departments to ensure water footprint in HDIs related projects;

Legislative review to allow improved implementation of the program

CONCLUSION• Water Allocation Reform (WAR) is a complex and costly exercise;

• Its success depends on cooperative governance arrangements and political support;