Letter from the Director General - dwa.gov.za

1 Letter from the Director GeneralDear StakeholderThe Directorate of water conservation , within the Department of water Affairs and Forestry(DWAF) is in the process of developing a National water conservation and DemandManagement Strategy. As a first step the Draft water conservation and Demandmanagement National Strategy Framework has been produced and is being circulated forcritique and comment. This document lays out the key principles, legislative, economic andsocial frameworks that would guide a national water conservation and demand managementstrategy.

2 The completion of this phase requires comprehensive consultation and liaison withrelevant role have been identified as a key role player in improving water -use efficiency in South success and effectiveness of developing and the implementing water conservation andDemand Management throughout South Africa is dependent on the degree of participation ofall role players. Please make sure this document reaches all interested parties in yourorganization. You are therefore invited to review this document and contribute your vision andinsights, by forwarding your comments, no later than 19 July 1999, to: Director : water ConservationTel:012-338-8818 Department of water Affairs and ForestryFax.

3 012-338-8086 Private Bag MULLERDIRECTOR GENERALD raft May, 19992 DRAFTMay 1999 water conservation ANDDEMAND MANAGEMENTNATIONAL STRATEGY FRAMEWORKDEPARTMENT OF water AFFAIRS AND FORESTRYR epublic of South AfricaDraft May, 19993 Letter from the MinisterWhen I accepted the responsibility for water Affairs and Forestry in President Mandela s cabinet in1994, I knew that it would be an extraordinarily exciting challenge. The magnitude of excitement aswell as the level of challenge came home thick and fast in the last five years.

4 I can say with somemeasure of pride that the water industry of South Africa has proved itself capable and receptive tothese considerable challengesOne of the key thrusts of the new approach in which we are managing water in South Africa is theentrenchment of and insistence on efficient water management and use. We have been able to givestrong emphasis to this concept both in our legislation as well as through key demonstration waterconservation and demand management projects. The Department of water Affairs and Forestry isnow in the process of developing a National water conservation and demand Management Strategyand this draft framework is the first step in that are committed to developing this together with all the key role-players through a consultativeprocess.

5 The success of this process and the richness of the strategy will depend very largely on thedegree of are therefore invited to contribute your insights and wisdom toward a value-added product thatwill ensure that we are able to solve all water -related challenges in a co-operative Kader Asmal, MPMinister of water Affairs and drafting team would like to express their sincere gratitude to all the contibutors to theprocess of developing the May, 19994 PREAMBLEThe information contained in this report is based on the collective knowledge of expertswith various perspectives and input from an ongoing consultative report is aimed at the water supply industry and South African society at large.

6 It aimsto cover all water use sectors including agriculture, forestry, industry, recreational,ecological, and water services. The scope of the report is inclusive of most waterconservation and demand management water conservation and demand management National Strategy Framework isdesigned for many uses. Its first use is to contribute to the water conservation / demandmanagement (WC/DM) components of the National water Resources Strategy. Thesecond is to serve as the nesting framework for the development of water WC/DM sectoraland regional strategies.

7 The third is to describe and promote a common understandingand interpretation of WC/DM principles for South report is phase 1 of the following process adopted for developing WC/DM strategiesfor South Africa:Phase 1: Develop a draft report on the WC/DM National Strategy FrameworkPhase 2:Distribute the WC/DM National Strategy Framework to a wide variety ofkey stake holders for comment and review the report according tocomments 3: Develop sectoral strategies for the following water use sectors and waterinstitutions:Phase : Domestic use sector and water Services institutionsPhase : Agriculture and Forestry sectorPhase : Industry and power generation sectorPhase : Environment and water management institutionsThe draft sectoral strategies will be developed through workshopsinvolving representatives of each water sector.

8 These will then form thebasis for a wider consultation process to develop the final 4:Develop a model regional strategy to be incorporated into the catchmentmanagement strategiesPhase 5:Consolidate the WC/DM National Strategy Framework and the sectoralstrategies for inclusion into the National water Resources May, 19995 TABLE OF use of water by neighbouring water supply water , mining and power generation103 THE MEANING OF water conservation AND demand is meant by water conservation is meant by demand management scope of WC/DM measures124 THE ROLE OF water conservation AND demand of supply reconcile future demand and of the existing water development.

9 Equity and accountability175 PLANNING is meant by Integrated Resource Planning opportunities and constraints of Integrated Resource IRP process19 Draft May, 199966 water conservation AND demand MANAGEMENT conservation measures in resource management Management measures in the distribution and water supply Management measures on customers / end conservation measures for return flow management227 THE LEAGAL AND REGULATORY Services Act - Services Act water Services Services Act water water Act - STRATEGY supporting the objectives259 CONCLUSION28 Draft May, 199971 Conceptual perspectiveWater conservation and demand management (WC/DM)

10 Are topics that are commonlyreferred to in water resources literature in South Africa, but until recently it can be arguedthat the need and value of WC/DM principles has not been fully recognised or of inefficient water usage can be found in all water usage sectors throughout thecountry and the value of water seems largely unrecognised by most water users -particularly the privileged who until recently had access to water at inexpensive subsidisedprices. The realities of the new democratic South Africa demand improved management ofour limited water resources.