National Water Amendment Bill: Call for Public Submissions
Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has issued a call for written public submissions on the National Water Amendment Bill, which was tabled in Parliament in January 2026.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the National Water Act, No. 36 of 1998. According to the memorandum on the objects of the Bill, the overarching objective of the amendments is to ensure that the nation’s water resources are protected, used, developed, conserved, managed, and controlled in a sustainable and equitable manner, for the benefit of all persons.
Interested stakeholders and professionals are invited to submit written comments on the Bill. The deadline for submissions to the Portfolio Committee is 30 July 2026.
What this means for you, your business, or your clients
- For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations; however, legal and environmental professionals should familiarise themselves with the proposed amendments to advise on future regulatory shifts.
- For your business: Companies operating in water-intensive sectors or environmental consulting must monitor the legislative progress of this Bill to prepare for potential changes in water use licensing and conservation requirements.
- For your clients: Clients holding water use licenses under the National Water Act, No. 36 of 1998, or those requiring future allocations, should review the Bill and consider making written submissions by the 30 July 2026 deadline to protect their operational interests.
Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/national-water-amendment-bill-parliamentary-committee-calls-for-submissions