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PRESENTATION ON WATER USE

REGULATION

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Water resources in GhanaWater is located in all regions of the country

Water sources vary widely in regional and local

patterns of variability. The supply is dependent upon topography and

meteorological conditions.

Quantities of water stored are dependant to a large

extent on the physical features and geologicalstructure of the earth (Ghana).

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Water use regulationWater resources can be categorised into

-surface

-subsurface sources Water resources are very vital to sustainable

economic development

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Water use regulationWater use regulation is a mandate bestowed on the

WRC to regularise water rights for existing water usersand the granting of water rights of naturally occurringwater.

Water use regulations and procedures for the issuanceof rights to water uses by means of permits was

prepared by the Commission and passed byParliament at the end of 2001 (L.I.1692).

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Ghana Water Laws This is a mixture of customary rules and enactments in

consonance with Article 11 of the 1992 Constitution .

At customary law, water in all its forms including thesea, rivers and lakes are regarded as public propertynot subject to individual appropriation.

The state has assumed ownership, management andcontrol of water through the establishment of a multi-institutional cum sectoral body.

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THE OBJECTIVES OF WATER USE REGULATIONS BY THE

WATER RESOURCE COMMISSION.

The objectives are:

Address issues and problems of meeting agreed water

quality standards:

ii. Ensure the flow of collective benefits of watermanagement in a basin.

iii. Decide on ways of sharing joint costs.

iv. Deal with externalities, for example, the effect of low

volume or low quality drainage water.

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Water use PermitSubject to the Act a person may obtain a permit from thecommission for:

Domestic water use

Commercial water use

Municipal water use

Agricultural water use

Power generation water use

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Water use Permit

Water transportation water use

Fisheries(aquaculture)water use

Environmental water use

Recreational water use

Under water (wood) harvesting

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Application for Permit

Applicants are supposed to file for the applicationform with the commission.

The Application may be refused a permit on thefollowing grounds:

-where the applicant fails to pay the appropriate

administrative and processing fees.

-submits an incomplete application.

-submits an application in error.

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Investigations

Investigations are conducted to ascertain whether theproposed water use is in accordance with water usepolicies and plans.

The investigation also seeks to establish whether theproposed water use will cause irreparable damage towater resources, public health and the environment.

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Priority for water useThe commission shall consider an applicant based on

the

The prevailing water policy

The domestic water use and

Any other use which the goals of national socio-economic development

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water uses exempted from permit

but to be registered

The following water uses are exempted from thepermit requirement under regulation :

Water abstracted by mechanical means and used forany purpose where the abstraction level does notexceed five liters per second

Subsistence agricultural water use for land areas notexceeding 1 hectare

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ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

theEnvironmental Protection Agency considers aproposed which requires an environmental impactassessment.

the applicant shall attach to the application evidencethat an environmental impact assessment has beenapproved by Environmental Protection Agency.

the proposed or existing water uses requires anenvironmental management plan, that requirementshall be one of the conditions for the grant of water usepermit.

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GRANT OF PERMIT

Subject to the Regulations, a permit shall be grantedbased on these Regulations:

The Commission shall within fourteen dayscommunicate the reasons for the refusal of a permit tothe applicant.

Unless otherwise stated, a permit granted by theCommission shall be subject to ratification byparliament.

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PROHIBITION

A person who fails to renew that persons permit, orwhose application for the renewal is rejected by theCommission shall not use the water resources to whichthe permit relates.