Acts Online
GT Shield

National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998)

Chapter 1 : Interpretation And Fundamental Principles

2. Purpose of Act

 

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the nation's water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed and controlled in ways which take into account amongst other factors—

(a) meeting the basic human needs of present and future generation;
(b) promoting equitable access to water;
(c) redressing the results of past racial and gender discrimination;
(d) promoting the efficient, sustainable and beneficial use of water in the public interest;
(e) facilitating social and economic development,
(f) providing for growing demand for water use;
(g) protecting aquatic and  associated ecosystems and their biological diversity;
(h) reducing and preventing pollution and degradation of water resources;
(i) meeting international obligations;
(j) promoting dam safety;
(k) managing floods and droughts,

and for achieving this purpose, to establish suitable institutions and to ensure that they have appropriate community, racial and gender reprentation.