Institute for Water Quality Studies

PRELIMINARY RESOURCE PROTECTION AND ASSESSMENT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Developed under the auspices of the Resource Protection And Policy Implementation Task Team (PAPITT)

Department of Water and Sanitation

(Version 4, July 1998)

It should be noted that the PAPITT implementation plan and its associated documentation are in a state of development. As such they are not comprehensive. In particular, the resource needs for many projects have not yet been determined.

It should also be noted that some of the projects or tasks mentioned in this plan are not the responsibility of PAPITT but are related or interdependant and are therefore needed be mentioned.

Updates to these documents will be made quarterly to reflect the progress made.

For more information or queries, please contact:

Toni Belcher or Adhishri Singh

Institute for Water Quality Studies

Tel: 012-8080374

Fax:012-8080338

RESOURCE PROTECTION AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Implementation time frame 1

1.3 Approach to implementation 2

1.4 Scope of work 3

1.5 Objectives and key requirements 3

2. Major Project Descriptions 5

2.1 Regulations for Reserve Protection 6

2.2 Reserve Determination 7

2.3 Water Resources Classification System 8

2.4 Resource Quality Objectives 9

2.5 Risk-based Approaches in Water Resources Management 10

2.6 Water Use Authorisation 11

2.7 Waste Discharge Standards 12

2.8 Best Management Practices 12

2.9 Economic Instruments 13

2.10 Monitoring Systems 14

2.11 Information Systems 15

2.12 Management Strategies 16

3. Gantt Chart 17

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1.INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The Protection and Assessment Policy Task Team (PAPITT) has been given the responsibility to ensure that all requirements arising from the National Water Bill will be implemented within time frames which match the priorities and needs for integrated water resources management. PAPITT has taken a long-term view of this responsibility and has set the following:

1.2 Implementation Time Frame

The new National Water Bill is specifically structured so that it can be implemented in a rational and phased manner over a period of time. There are no dates per se; a number of activities are required to be implemented "as soon as is reasonably practicable" while others are conditional upon previous requirements being in place. The PAPITT plan is therefore designed to cover both the scope and timing of development. This is summarized in the table below:

^* as guided by the National Water Resource Strategy

1.3 Approach To Implementation

PAPITT has adopted an implementation approach that incorporates a number of key aspects:

The implementation strategy will be based on an assessment of all key factors affecting resource protection and assessment (see the diagram that shows the related objectives and key requirements for achieving the goal).

The implementation plan, based on the strategy, will:

cover the scope, linked activities, resource needs, and detailed scheduling of the interrelated and interdependent tasks, and their associated budgets;

define measurable goals and deliverables needed to audit and assess progress;

guide the prioritization and development of the procedures, tools, capacity building, and any other aspects needed for the complete application of all parts of the new Bill and the subsequent implementation thereof, beginning with its first day of effect and continuing through into the long-term.

The development of the plan will be an iterative and incremental process.

Development of the plan will be through a series of workshops which will utilise a well-structured methodology. The methodology chosen uses a goal-focused approach to systematically structure constraints and objectives within a framework for defining and prioritising key actions and tasks.

Participation, development and execution of the plan will involve the project team, specialist consultants, other policy implementation team representatives, and various stakeholders.

Coordination with other policy implementation initiatives and developments will be an ongoing effort.

Consultation between the resources protection and assessment group and its stakeholders and other interested and affected parties, both within and outside of the Department, will ensure that all parties are kept informed of the process envisaged and the progress achieved, and that there is commitment to, and agreement on, the specific objectives and methodologies that are developed.

1.4 Scope Of Work

The PAPITT work covers the following areas:

Development of resource-directed measures including resource classification, setting of "the reserve", resource quality objectives, and risk assessment;

Development of source-directed controls, including licensing procedures, discharge standards, management practices, rehabilitation requirements, integrated waste management, economic incentives (including effluent charges, incentives and penalties) and impact assessments;

Monitoring policy, assessment and planning (including infrastructure needs, data collection and management, and information dissemination), and development and integration of new and existing data/information systems (as a priority, the water use authorisation information system) to support water resources management;

Assessment of needs for capacity-building, strategy for human resources development (both inside and outside DWA&F); development of training materials and courses;

Information transfer and communication strategy related to the protection and assessment aspects of the policy, directed both internally and externally.

1.5 Objectives And Key Requirements

The diagram on the following page illustrates the overall goal for resource protection and assessment and the key requirements, as related objectives, for achieving it.

Objectives diagram

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2.MAJOR PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

This section provides an overview of the major projects currently being run under PAPITT's responsibility. It should be read in conjunction with the "PAPITT Gantt Chart" which shows the scheduling of the projects described below, and indicates the some of the key tasks that make up each project - if more information on a project is required, it should be requested from the project leader concerned.

The major projects are:

Regulations for Resource Protection

Reserve Determination

Water Resources Classification System

Resource Quality Objectives

Risk-based Approaches in Water Resources Management

Water Use Authorisation

Waste Discharge Standards

Best Management Practices

Economic Instruments

Monitoring Systems

Resource Quality Information Systems

Management Strategies

The first key milestone for most of the above projects is the expected date of promulgation of the new Water Bill (1 April 1998) and this is reflected on the "PAPITT Gantt Chart".

"Generic" activities, which form a part of most of the specific projects listed above are:

Project management

Communication

Capacity building

Stakeholder participation

2.1 Regulations for Resource Protection

(Task no's 5-8 in Gantt Chart)

2.2 Water Resources Classification System

(Task no's 10-47 in Gantt Chart)

2.3 Reserve Determination

(Task no's 49-118 in Gantt Chart)

2.4 Resource Quality Objectives

(Task no's 124-128 in Gantt Chart)

2.5 Risk-based Approaches in Water Resources Management

(Task no 130 in Gantt Chart)

2.6 Water Use Authorisation

(Task no's 135-160 in Gantt Chart)

2.7 Waste Discharge Standards

(Task no's 162-164 in Gantt Chart)

2.8 Best Management Practices

(Task no's 166-171 in Gantt Chart)

2.9 Economic Instruments

(Task no's 173-180 in Gantt Chart)

2.10 Monitoring Systems

(Task no's 184-207 in Gantt Chart)

2.11 Information Systems

(Task no's 209-240 in Gantt Chart)

2.12 Management Strategies

(Task no's 242-251 in Gantt Chart)

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