"aquifer"

means a geological formation which has structures or textures that hold water or permit appreciable water movement through them;

"borehole"

includes a well, excavation or any artificially constructed or improved underground cavity which can be used for the purpose of—

"catchment"

in relation to a watercourse or watercourses or part of a watercourse, means the area from which any rainfall will drain into the watercourse or watercourses or part of a watercourse, through surface flow to a common point or common points;

"charge"

includes a fee, price or tariff imposed under this Act;

"conservation"

in relation to a water resource means the efficient use and saving of water, achieved through measures such as water saving devices, water-efficient processes, water demand management and water rationing;

"Department"

means the Department responsible for water affairs;

[Definition amended by section 1(a) of Act No. 27 of 2014]

"Director-General"

means the Director-General of the Department;

"entitlement"

means a right to use water in terms of any provision of this Act or in terms of an instrument issued under this Act;

"estuary"

means a partially or fully enclosed body of water—

"government waterwork"

means a waterwork owned or controlled by the Minister and includes the land on which it is situated;

"instream habitat"

includes the physical structure of a watercourse and the associated vegetation in relation to the bed of the watercourse;

"Minister"

means the Minister responsible for water affairs;

[Definition amended by section 1(b) of Act No. 27 of 2014]

"organ of state"

has the meaning set out in section 239 of the Constitution;

"person"

includes a natural person, a juristic person, an unincorporated body, an association, an organ of state and the Minister;

"pollution"

means the direct or indirect alteration of the physical, chemical or biological properties of a water resource so as to make it—

"prescribe"

means prescribe by regulation;

"protection"

in relation to a water resource, means—

"Reserve"

means the quantity and quality of water required—

the relevant water resource; and

"resource quality"

means the quality of all the aspects of a water resource including--

"responsible authority"

in relation to a specific power or duty in respect of water uses, means—

"riparian habitat"

includes the physical structure and associated vegetation of the areas associated with a watercourse which are commonly characterised by alluvial soils, and which are inundated or flooded to an extent and with a frequency sufficient to support vegetation of species with a composition and physical structure distinct from those of adjacent land areas;

"specific environmental management Act"

has the meaning assigned to it in section 1 of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998)

[Definition inserted by section 1(c) of Act No. 27 of 2014]

"this Act"

includes any regulations made under this Act;

"waste"

includes any solid material or material that is suspended, dissolved or transported in water (including sediment) and which is spilled or deposited on land or into a water resource in such volume, composition or manner as to cause, or to be reasonably likely to cause, the water resource to be polluted;

"watercourse"

means—

"water management area"

is an area established as a management unit in the national water resource strategy within which a catchment management agency will conduct the protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of water resources;

"water management institution"

means a catchment management agency, a water user association, a body responsible for international water management or any person who fulfils the functions of a water management institution in terms of this Act;

"water resource"

includes a watercourse, surface water, estuary, or aquifer;

"waterwork"

includes any borehole, structure, earthwork or equipment installed or used for or in connection with water use;

"wetland"

means land which is transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is periodically covered with shallow water, and which land in normal circumstances supports or would support vegetation typically adapted to life in saturated soil.