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This analysis examines the strengths and weaknesses of South Africa's National Water Resource Strategy, highlighting areas of improvement and proposing solutions to address challenges.
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SUMMARY COMMENTS ON THENATIONAL WATER RESOURCE STRATEGYNRWS2 Presentation to the PPC 23 October 2012
Water Affects all Aspects of South Africa’s StategyObjectives Policy/LeversTiming/Sequencing 1994 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose 2060 Long Medium Short Society/Citizens Wellness Skills Water Security Equitable Share LEVERS – From “Policy” to Action Job Growth Energy Security Economic Growth & Transformation Environment incl Climate Change Access to Information Competitiveness Funding/Affordability Objectives SOURCE: M Rossouw 2010
A - A Solid Fact Base,B - Clear Direction,C - Evaluation of all Strategy Options.D - Test for Implement-ability Good Strategy Demands - ABCD
The NWRS2 identifies: 11 Core Strategies 7 Technical Strategies 4 Governance Strategies 4 Enabling Strategies and 79 “Key Strategic Activities” Too much Duplication too few actionable plans are proposed Lack of timeframes or assignation of responsibilities NWRS2 effectively outlines the strategies needed to develop a strategy!! Clearly no differentiation between Facts, Objectives, Strategies and Plans NWRS2 - Is not a StrategyRather, it seeks to open up more policy debate…
FIXING WHAT IS NOT BROKEN AND NOT FIXING WHAT IS BROKEN! NWRS2 throughout reflects clear frustration at government’s failure over the past 8 years to make progress in achieving its water related goals. This has led to a number of proposals that should be interrogated, not just for their intentions, and whether they are likely to achieve them, but also for what they reveal about the Department’s analysis of its challenges. While there is certainly a need for better management, there is a multitude of new concepts proposed, such as “water footprints”, “source to tap, tap to source” applications, “multi-purpose development”; “multiple use services approach”, “multi-parameter decision-making”, “complex system management”, “multilateral networking and coordination” as well as undefined “smart technologies”.
Old Policy Challenges Renewed Missing is a discussion of the experience to date. Part of the problem is that efforts to use water management and allocation as a tool for empowerment have been largely unsuccessful. This is acknowledged in the regional perspectives where , in passing, the document notes that water has been set aside for black farmers but not taken up in the Orange , Mogalakwena, Pongola, and Fish basins and that, in addition, extensive under-utilised resources are available in areas of KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape in rivers such as the Thukela, Umzimvubu and Mbashe.
Administrative IssuesWater shortage or Water licencing? Given the importance of administrative process to enable the implementation of the NWA, the lack of recognition of the underlying administrative problems is discouraging. The overarching challenge is not equity but the fact that, in many parts of South Africa, all water is being used and there is no additional water to allocate. This means that some water has to be taken from existing users if new needs are to be met.
Private Sector Specifically and Water Users in GeneralPartners or Culprits? One obvious response to the acknowledged lack of capacity in government and public agencies is to mobilise more support from outside.However, there is a schizophrenic attitude in the NWRS2 to the private sector specifically and water users generally. In some parts of the report, they are presented as part of the solution: “… if one looks across the entire water sector, including government, the private sector and civil society, there is a range of skills, knowledge and capability in some areas that can be drawn on for the implementation of the NWRS-2. The challenge lies in mobilising these skills and resources to a common end whilst urgently building more capacity in other critical areas.” Elsewhere however, they are presented as part of the problem: “A major gap in the management model is that water resource management is not effectively institutionalised in water sector business management. This has resulted in water related sectors and industry not giving water the attention and priority it deserves, and a lack of ownership, commitment and self-regulation in the private sector. A recent study revealed that many South African businesses are not prepared for managing potential water risks.” It is acknowledged that “There is a strong commitment from a number of significant enterprises and organisations to work closely with DWA to improve water management across the country. Some industries and business have not only initiated actions in this regard, but have set world class examples in terms of developing water footprints, water master plans and committing themselves to effective and smart water management.”
Decentralisation for Participation or Administrative Convenience? The proposal to reduce the number of Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs) is significant. The NWA called for the establishment of 19 CMAs. The decision to change from 19 to 9 CMAs has apparently already been taken although the proposal is formally still under consultation (the NWRS2’s regional appendices are presented in terms of the new boundaries making comparison with NWRS1 very difficult). Nonetheless, this is one case in which the NWRS2 addresses a current challenge by proposing an administrative simplification, which should be commended, provided that the disadvantages are addressed.NB: Reducing the number of CMAs increases the complexity of managing boundary issue.
Water Conservation and Demand Management (WCDM)Key Strategy or Just a Slogan? The commitment to WCDM has been in place since 2004 (and, before, in the 1997 White Paper). However, it is not clear that much progress has been made. Targets have been set (including a “Presidential Outcome” for 2014) but, once again, there is no reporting on trends or challenges in meeting targets, which appear increasingly unrealistic. A series of actions is proposed but there is no analysis of the experience so far and how the proposed actions are intended to address the challenges that have emerged.
Information, its Impact and its Absence The NWRS was conceived as an instrument that would allow society to monitor the overall water resource situation of the country, to inform its societal response, not just the response of the narrow water sector. Consequently, it is disturbing to note that information generation is one of the weakest areas of the NWRS2. This is recognised: In terms of the requirements of the NWA, the NWRS must present updated water balances and perspectives. Unfortunately, due to a lack of investment and resourcing, these water balances were not updated, and the present water situation could therefore not be presented.
Lack of Information & Knowledge can Lead to Serious errors - research The NWRS fails to use the excellent research skills and recourses we already have yet it sets out to establish new approaches. “Strategic action” proposed: “Establish a viable funding model for the sourcing and allocation of financial resources to water sector R&I” The existing Water Research Commission, is the envy of many more developed countries.
The Financial Dimensions are Weak and Confused Covered in four separate sections:- Water economics 38 Core Strategy 9: Embedding sustainable business principles and practices79 Core strategy 10: Implementing a water sector investment 81 Enabling Strategy 1: Water finance and funding 167 It is stated that an investment framework has been developed, but this is not presented.
Critical Question Does NWRS2 accept the policy foundation established in the White Paper and NWA (which the NWRS1 sought to give effect to) or Does it seeks to change policy in key respects, in the proposed review of the NWA? Page 91 -“58. DWA will revise the National Water Act, the Water Services Act and the Water Research Act by the first half of 2013”!
State of RSA Water It is less about policy but rather more about a failure to implement policy effectively. NWRS2 identifies many problems but fails to provide practical proposals to deal with the problems
Summary Conclusions NWRS2 contains a wide range of ideas and proposals, often with little evidence to underpin them and not always coherently or consistently presented. This makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. It does not follow the structure of NWRS1 nor the requirements of the NWA, which makes it difficult to evaluate.
Recommendations Greater focus, prioritisation and clarity, Clear focussed interventions, not a collection of the latest policy fashions. Establishing institutions and systems to manage the difficult process of: Reallocating water between competing users Operate the national water infrastructure in a technically and financially sustainable manner.
