The draft policy on Integrated Water Quality Management (IWQM) –published by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) on 10 March 2023 – signals that a new age of partnership is called for if South Africans are to have sustainable access to water.
Lindsay Shand, associate partner and principal environmental geologist at SRK Consulting, highlighted that the draft policy recognises how the country’s water quality is deteriorating – and that this is having consequences for human health and the economy.
“We can no longer rely on a water licence or contract with a water provider to be certain of actually receiving water of an appropriate quality,” said Shand. “Furthermore, water quality compliance monitoring is no longer just a tick-box exercise; it is a necessary measure to ensure that all water users within a catchment receive usable water – or understand the water quality risk and utilise the water for a suitable purpose.”
The draft IWQM policy places increased responsibility on all water users to take responsibility for their water use and water quality management.
Read the full article on Smart Water Magazine.
