Alicia Mashakana
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has approved a 30-day extension for the registration of privately owned dams posing a safety risk to to the public, property and water resources.
The extension, granted through a government gazette notice, allows owners of dams with safety concerns to verify their dam’s parameters in accordance with the National Water Act.
The extension is effective from January 29 to February 28, 2025.
Wally Ramokopa, Head of the Specialist Unit for Dam Safety Regulation at the Department, said that dams eligible for registration must have a vertical wall height of 5 meters and a storage capacity of 50,000 megalitres, capable of storing water or other substances.
“The dams to be registered are those with a vertical wall height of 5 meters and a storage capacity of 50 000 megalitres. Those dams may store water or any other substances,” he said.
Ramokopa urged already registered dam owners to update their information and reminded those yet to register to submit their registration and classification forms.
In a media statement on Wednesday, Ramokopa said the multimedia campaigns aimed at raising awareness about dam registration were ongoing.
The dam registration campaign is aimed at maintaining an accurate database of dam ownership and safety compliance for effective regulation and risk management.
The department enforces compliance for dam owners to conduct safety inspections at least every five years, where dam owners are required to arrange for the execution of a formal dam safety inspection by an Approved Professional Person (APP).
Ramokopa said failure to implement the APPs recommendations, especially when findings indicate that the dam may not be safe and has the potential to fail or cause loss of life, a directive is issued to compel the dam owners to comply.
Majodina’s approval for the extension was published on November 29, 2024, following the requirements of Chapter 12 of the National Water Act and Regulations 2, 3, and 37 of the Dam Safety Regulations.
“Since the published notice in November, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has received numerous enquiries regarding the call for private dam owners to register their dams, applications for classification and for updating of registration information,” the department said.
“Some of the applications have since been turned back to the owners for correction. The Department has also received many requests from different stakeholders and organisations representing the farming community to extend the 60 days of registration period.”
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