The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on members of the public and sector stakeholders to submit their inputs on the National Pricing Strategy for Raw Water Use.

The pricing strategy, published in the Government Gazette, is a framework for the pricing of water use for South Africa’s water resource, including the use of raw water from rivers, boreholes and/or supplied from government schemes and the discharge of water into a water resource or onto land.

In terms of section 56, of National Water Act (NWA), Act 36 of 1998, Water and Sanitation Minister, together with the Finance Minister, may every now and then, establish a pricing strategy for any water use within the framework of existing relevant government policy.

Departmental spokesperson, Sputnik Ratau, explained that in as far as Section 56 (3) (a) of the NWA is concerned, the pricing strategy may differentiate on an equitable basis, on the basis of geographic areas, between different categories of water use, and different water users.

He said the pricing strategy provides for six water user categories, from the previous three, to better represent the water user groups and to allow for more clearly targeted charges.

“The revised pricing strategy caters for five water resource charges, namely: Water Resource Management Charge, Water Resources Infrastructure Charges, Waste Mitigation Charge, Water Research Levy and Economic Regulation Charge,” Ratau said.

Written comments can be submitted to pricing-strategy@dws.gov.za/NyabanyabaL@dws.gov.za.

The department is expected to host consultation sessions on the water pricing strategy in Mpumalanga and Gauteng from 6 to 14 September 2022.

In Mpumalanga, the consultations will take place in Emalahleni on 6 September, Malelane on 7 September and Mbombela on 8 September 2022.

The consultations in Gauteng will be held in Vanderbijlpark on 12 September, Alberton on 13 September, and Pretoria on 14 September 2022.

Members of the public and sector stakeholders have until 3 November 2022 to submit comments to be carefully considered by the department before the finalisation of the strategy.

Source: South African Government News Agency