REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

1. REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS POTENTIAL FOR INTERACTION WITH THE INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IWRM) MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMME AT THE POLYTECHNIC OF NAMIBIA

4. INSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS • GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION • THE CUSTODIAN OF THE NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AND • THE GUARDIAN OVER WATER QUALITY • SUPPLIER OF WATER (NAMWATER) • THE DWA - DIRECTORATE RURAL WATER SUPPLY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING “DECENTRALISED” TO COME UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF REGIONAL GOVERNMENT • THE DIRECTORATE: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MAY BECOME AN AGENCY, BUT REMAIN UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MAWRD • THE DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO UNDERGO SOME DEGREE OF RESTRUCTURING.

5. LINE-FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES[1] THE DIVISION: WATER ENVIRONMENT (DWE) WITHIN THE DWA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR - POLLUTION CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING (TECHNICAL) (PCCM), WITH RESPECT TO SEWAGE, EFFLUENTS AND SURFACE RUN-OFF; - [COMPLIANCE MONITORING WITH RESPECT TO DRINKING WATER QUALITY (DWCM)]; - EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL (IMPACT) ASSESSMENTS; - APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECTS, WHERE DEEMEDNECESSARY AND APPROVED BY MANAGEMENT; - SERVING ON COMMITTEES AS A FULL OR CO-OPTED MEMBER, WHERE PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL OR DEEMED USEFUL, AND APPROVED BY MANAGEMENT.

6. LINE-FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES[2] IN ADDITION, THE DWE HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO PROMOTE THE RE-USE, RECYCLING OF WASTE AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE RECOVERY OF A RESOURCE MATERIAL IN THE WASTE BEFORE DISPOSAL, BY SUPPORTING ZERI-TYPE OF PROJECTS, AS WELL AS REDUCING METHANE EMISSIONS FROM EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANTS. THE CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF WATER SAMPLES IS AN ESSENTIAL TOOL IN PCCM AND DWCM WORK. CIRCUMSTANCES, HOWEVER, FORCE THE DWA TO OUT-SOURCE THIS TO LABORATORIES IN WINDHOEK (FOR ROUTINE EXAMINATION) OR RSA (FOR SPECIALISED ANALYSES). THE DARD DOES OPERATE LABORATORIES FOR AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY PURPOSES.

7. IDENTIFIED NEEDS IN THE DWA [1] • IT IS BELIEVED THAT INTERACTION BETWEEN THE MAWRD – DWA AND THE PON, AS INTIMATELY AS THE TWO ORGANISATIONAL SYSTEMS AND EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOW, WOULD BENEFIT BOTH INSTITUTIONS. • IDENTIFIED REQUIREMENTS AND NEEDS AT THE DWA IN GENERAL, AND THE DWE IN • PARTICULAR ARE: • -- IMPROVEMENT OF THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAINING; • -- IMPROVEMENT AND RENOVATION OF DATA MANAGEMENT; • -- BASIC / APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECTS: • - INVESTIGATION INTO THE POOR COD / BOD RELATIONSHIPS FOUND IN • NATURAL AND EFFLUENT WATER. • - DETERMINATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF TRACE, ANTHROPOGENIC • (ORGANIC) COMPOUNDSIN NATURAL AND EFFLUENT WATER, • WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE ORANGE RIVER.

8. IDENTIFIED NEEDS IN THE DWA [2] • IMPROVE STAFF KNOWLEDGE OF BASIC GEOLOGICAL, PETROLOGIC AND PEDOLOGICAL • CHARACTERISTICS CONCERNING THE SITING OF WASTE DISPOSAL SITES AND LANDFILLS. • CHARACTERISATION OF IRRIGATION FARMLAND RETURN-FLOW, BOTH IN QUANTITY AND • QUALITY, IN RESPECT TO THE CONTROL OF POTENTIAL POLLUTION OF NATIONAL DAMS AND RIVERS AND INTERNATIONALLY SHARED WATER COURSES (SADC PROTOCOL).

9. INPUT TO THE IWRM PROGRAMME[1] • STUDENTS / LECTURERS ARE WELCOME TO ACCOMPANY MAWRD STAFF ON PCCM • INSPECTIONS, COUNTRY-WIDE; • THE PON IS WELCOME TO ASSIST MAWRD STAFF WITH CERTAIN PROJECTS • CONCERNING APPLIED RESEARCH; • THE MINISTRY CAN ASSIST WITH THE FORMULATION OR SELECTION OF TOPICS FOR BASIC • OR APPLIED RESEARCH, SUITABLE TO THE STUDENT(S)’(S) CURRICULUM • REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFICIAL TO THE MINISTRY. THE MINISTRY WILL THEN • NATURALLY ALSO ASSIST WITH DISSERTATION EVALUATION;

10. INPUT TO THE IWRM PROGRAMME[2] • THE MINISTRY CAN PROVIDE POTENTIAL “GUEST” LECTURING ON SELECTED TOPICS; • SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY MANAGEMENT, THE MINISTRY MAY PERMIT STAFF TO SERVE AS • AD HOC LECTURER OR MODERATOR; • SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE AGREEMENTS, STUDENTS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THE NAMIBIAN • AGRICULTURAL AND WATER INFORMATION CENTRE NAWIC (LIBRARY). • SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY MANAGEMENT AND SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATE AGREEMENTS, • LIMITED ACCESS TO ITS LABORATORY EQUIPMENT MAY BE ARRANGED. • THE DIVISIONS MAINTAIN A DATA BANK FOR ACTUAL AND HISTORICAL TECHNICAL AND • SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. • These data are mainly in hard-copy format and only limited amount is in digitised format. • Access is currently cumbersome.

11. NETWORKING WITH THE PoN [1] STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS IS PROFESSIONALLY ENGAGED INTO A LARGE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES, LIKE ROUTINE INVESTIGATIONS, EVALUATIONS, PROJECTS: - DIRECTORATE: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: - - DIVISION: WATER ENVIRONMENT: PCCM, STANDARDISATION, ANALYSIS, AQUATIC ECOLOGICAL MONITORING, WDM, OKACOM, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACTIONS, [WAQIS], FOGHAR, RUDEV, [ABAMIN], BCLME, ORMIMC, WBLA 21, TFCP, LORMS, NOSCP, … - - DIVISION: HYDROLOGY: ENGAGES IN FLOW AND RESERVE MONITORING AND CONTROL FOR SURFACE WATER BODIES, DATA MANAGEMENT, STUDIES, HAS SEVERAL APPLIED RESEARCH AGREEMENTS WITH THE IAEA,

12. NETWORKING WITH THE PoN[2] - - DIVISION: GEOHYDROLOGY: ENGAGES IN RESERVE MONITORING AND CONTROL FOR GROUNDWATER BODIES, DATA MANAGEMENT, HAS SEVERAL APPLIED RESEARCH AGREEMENTS WITH THE IAEA, STUDY CONCERNING WASTE DISPOSAL SITES, …. - - DIVISION: PLANNING: UNDERTAKES PLANNING PROJECTS TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABLE UTILISATION OF WATER RESOURCES WITHIN NAMIBIA AND LIASE WITH (WATER) COMMISSIONS TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENTS CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL AND SHARED WATER BODIES. - - DIVISION: LAW ADMINISTRATION: ADMINISTERS THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THE WATER ACT OF 1956, ACT 54 OF 1956, BY THE ISSUE OF ABSTRACTION AND DISPOSAL PERMITS AND REGULATING WATER AND RELEVANT LAND RIGHTS.

13. NETWORKING WITH THE PoN[3] - DIRECTORATE: RURAL WATER SUPPLY: THIS DIRECTORATE HAS THREE DIVISIONS THAT ENGAGE IN THE EXPLORATION, EVALUATION PLANNING AND ESTABLISHMENT OF WATER SUPPLIES, WATER POINTS AND WATER BOARDSIN THE RURAL AREAS (MAINLY COMMUNAL LANDS). THIS IN CO-OPERATION WITH NAMWATER, THE COMMERCIALISED UTILITY INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR BULK WATER SUPPLY, AND CERTAIN SMALLER WATER SCHEMES. AS FAR AS WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY EVALUATION IS CONCERNED, STAFF AT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DARD) WILL LIASE WITH THE APPROPRIATE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE DWA. ALL PROFESSIONAL STAFF IS ACCESSIBLE BY EMAIL (VIA THE GOVERNMENT COMPUTERISED SYSTEM), TELEPHONE AND MAIL. THE NAWIC IS ACCESSIBLE VIA THE INTERNET, E.G. FOR ARRANGING INTER-LIBRARY LOANS OR PHOTOCOPIES FROM CERTAIN DOCUMENTS.

14. FINAL REMARKS • THE IWRM PROGRAMME SHOULD GUARD AGAINST SACRIFICING QUALITY • FOR QUANTITY (OF GRADUATES) • GOOD COOPERATION EQUALS GOOD COMMUNICATION • THE IWRM PROGRAMME COULD VERY WELL INCORPORATE THE PROMOTION OF ZERI AND • EFFORTS TO REDUCE METHANE EMISSIONS IN EFFLUENT TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY