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Water Services Act, 1997 (Act No. 108 of 1997)

Chapter VI : Water Boards

39. Policy statement

 

(1) A water board must prepare and adopt a policy statement.

 

(2) The first policy statement of a water board must be prepared and adopted within one year after--
(a) the commencement of this Act; or
(b) the establishment of that water board.

 

(3) The policy statement must contain information concerning the water board and all other companies, institutions or bodies in which it has an interest, including—
(a) the nature and extent of the primary and other activities to be undertaken;
(b) the area within which the activities will be undertaken;
(c) the measures to be taken to separate the primary and other activities from each other;
(d) details concerning the management of any financial risks relating to the board's primary and other activities;
(e) the board's accounting and investment policies;
(f) the rules and procedures to be followed before any investments are made by the board;
(g) the board's policy on human resources and human resource development;
(h) the board's policy on the environment, including measures to reduce water wastage to an acceptable level;
(i) the measures by which the performance of the water board will be assessed;
(j) whether any advisory forums have been or are to be established, and if so, the functions and composition thereof;
(k) the procedures for consultation with water services institutions, consumers, users and advisory forums, if established;
(l) the nature and extent of activities aimed at ensuring access to water services provided by the board within its service area, and the extension and improvement of those services; and
(m) the measures, including public awareness campaigns, to be taken to promote water conservation and water demand management; and
(n) any other relevant information which the Minister may prescribe from time to time.

 

(4) A policy statement may be amended from time to time, and must be revised at least every five years.

 

(5) Every policy statement and every amendment thereof must—
(a) be submitted to the Minister, the relevant Province and all water services institutions within the water board's service area; and
(b) be accessible to the public.

 

(6) The Minister may direct a water board to amend its policy statement if the policy statement—
(a) is not in the best interests of the general population within its service area; or
(b) is not in accordance with the parameters laid down in section 34(1).