National Water Services Amendment Bill: Call for Public Comment

Posted 02 February 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Parliament

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation has issued a notice calling for written submissions on the National Water Services Amendment Bill. The call for input follows the formal tabling of the Bill in October 2025.

The Bill proposes substantive amendments to the Water Services Act, No. 108 of 1997. According to the memorandum on the objects of the Bill, the proposed legislative changes are intended to strengthen the regulatory framework governing water service provision and to address systemic failures in municipal service delivery. The Committee is seeking technical and policy input from stakeholders to inform its deliberations during the parliamentary process.

Key focus areas of the National Water Services Amendment Bill include:

  • The introduction of an operating licence system for water services providers to ensure technical and financial competency.
  • Enhanced regulatory oversight by the Department of Water and Sanitation over water services authorities.
  • Revised mechanisms for national intervention in instances where water services authorities fail to perform their statutory functions.
  • Alignment of the Water Services Act, No. 108 of 1997 with the National Water Act, No. 36 of 1998 to ensure a cohesive water value chain regulation.

Interested parties and stakeholders are required to submit written representations to the Committee by no later than 28 February 2026. These submissions will form part of the public record and may lead to invitations for oral presentations before the National Assembly.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations; however, professionals in the environmental and administrative law sectors should monitor the Bill’s progress to advise on the evolving regulatory landscape.
  • For your business: Engineering firms, environmental consultancies, and legal practices must assess the proposed licensing requirements to determine how they will impact the procurement and management of water-related infrastructure projects.
  • For your clients: Municipalities and private water service providers must evaluate the proposed intervention and licensing clauses, as these will necessitate a review of existing service level agreements and operational compliance frameworks before the 28 February 2026 deadline.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/water-services-national-assembly-committee-calls-for-input-on-amendment-bill

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