Purpose: The purpose of the Directorate: Water Resources Classification (D:WRC) is to develop policies, strategies, systems, methodologies and guidelines to facilitate the protection of water resources through the progressive classification of significant water resources as well as determine in a phased and progressive manner, the classes of significant water resources in the country.

Description of functions:

Chapter 3 of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act 36 of 1998) (NWA) makes provision for a series of measures to ensure the comprehensive protection of all water resources, which includes the determination of the classes, Reserve and resource quality objectives for all or part of water resources considered to be significant. According to the NWA, once the regulations for a water resource classification system have been published, where appropriate, the class of a water resource, the Reserve and resource quality objectives must be determined and approved by the delegated authority. The above-mentioned regulations were subsequently promulgated in September 2010 thereby giving effect to the establishment of a prescribed water resources classification system.

The services rendered by the D: WRC can thus be outlined as follows:

• Develop policies, strategies, systems, methodologies and guidelines for the classification of water resources
• Developing and incrementally updating a water resources classification system;
• Co-ordinating the determination of the class of all significant water resources.
• Scientific and water resource classification related support for the implementation of strategic imperatives (i.e. Climate Change and NWRS).
• Development and maintenance of strategic relationships within the department and with other organs of state, NGO’s and stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain the necessary WRC support required to fulfil this function.
• Financial planning according to PFMA and MTEF.

Water Resource Classification – Active Projects

Water Resource Classification – Completed Projects