WHAT IS A PERMIT?

• A permit is a document granting its holder certain rights to water use in terms of the Water Act.

 

WHY REGISTER/APPLY FOR PERMITS

• To determine the catchment water commitment levels for planning purposes for now and the future.
• To safeguard water permit holders’ allocations and interests.

 

WHO SHOULD REGISTER/ APPLY FOR PERMITS

• Any abstraction or storage of surface water for any purpose other than primary purpose.
• Any abstraction or storage of water for primary purpose exceeding 5000 cubic meters.

 

WATER AGREEMENT

• No surface water permit shall be required for a person who wishes to abstract surface water from a water storage works or share of water vested in the state or the National Water Authority for any purpose but such person must enter into an abstraction agreement with ZINWA in terms of section 39 of Water Act.

 

HOW SHOULD ONE REGISTER/ APPLY FOR A PERMIT

• A person wishing to apply for any surface water shall through the appropriate Subcatchment council (in case of an application to use water for mining purposes) the mining commissioner of the mining district in which the permit is required; submit an application to the Subcatchment council.
• The applicant will be issued with W1 forms and together with the additional form depending on the purpose. For agricultural purposes, an agricultural report form WR3 is completed by Agritex is needed.
• For applicants for storage permits, an engineer’s report compiled on WR1 forms is required along with other reports and forms. Only approved engineer does the reports.
• The applicant would then submit the completed W1, WR1or WR3 forms and an Environmental Impact Assessment report to the Subcatchment council who would in turn transmit these forms to the catchment manager’s office for the compilation of the hydrological report along with the application fees.
• Upon submission of the relevant forms and reports, the hydrological report is compiled based on the information on other reports and forms.
• The hydrological report would make clear the hydrological conditions of the area where the permit is required, the commitment levels of the area, the availability of water and/or the risk involved in embarking on the intended activity. These recommendations will be used in the granting of the permit.
• A list of permits to be affected by the new application would be compiled and the holders are notified of the new application and should they have any objection to its granting, they will be required to submit their objection in writing to the catchment council.
• The catchment council, after assessing objections, analysis of relevant reports and in consultation with the catchment manager’s office, shall refuse or grant the permit.
• The Subcatchment council will then monitor if the granted conditions are being adhered to by the permit holder.

 

LEVIES, RATES AND FEES

• Every permit holder is required to pay water levy.
• The levy goes into Water Fund which is controlled by the Minister.
• Water levy on abstraction permits in uniform. However for storage it is calculated taking into account that run off in rivers and dams varies across the country thus different parts of the country will have different amounts of water available for use.
• This levy helps the Subcatchment Council to carry out their mandates with respect to the management of water resources in the country.

 

SUBCATCHMENT RATES

• This rate is used to cover the expenses incurred by Subcatchment councils in discharging their mandate.
• At the end of every year, the Subcatchment is supposed to come up with budgets of the coming year and the supporting levy to carry out the budget.
• The proposed levies are submitted to the parent Ministry for Approval.