Minister Sisulu calls on dam owners to adhere to dam safety legislations

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has called on dam owners across the country to adhere to Dam Safety Legislations amid extreme weather patterns.

Sisulu said failure to adhere to legislation may prompt the department to take legal action against transgressors.

She issued a stern warning to water boards, municipalities, the agricultural and mine industries to ensure they conduct dam safety evaluations and also ensure that the recommendations made by engineers based on the findings of the dam safety evaluation reports are implemented.

“We are faced with water security challenges as a country and key to this is deteriorating infrastructure. I therefore urge dam owners to do their bit to safeguard water infrastructures by conducting these required evaluations, which will not only protect the society from potential dam failures but will also ensure guaranteed storage, especially in the current climatic conditions facing our country,” she said.

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For the 2018/19 period, at least 313 Dam Safety Evaluation reports were expected to be submitted to the Dam Safety Office of the Department but only 207 (66%) were submitted, which is a decline as compared to the 81% achievement in the previous years.

“Each dam must have a safety inspection conducted every five years. In this case, dam owners are required to arrange for the execution of a formal dam safety inspection by an Approved Professional Person (APP),” said Sisulu.
She emphasized that the department remains committed to safeguard water resources in the country. As such, dam owners are encouraged to play their role by abiding to dam safety legislations as set out in the National Water Act.
Sisulu concluded that with below average rainfall expected in mid-December, it is vital for water infrastructures to be up to standard to ensure water security and help alleviate drought that has firmly gripped some parts of the country.