SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES STRATEGY-3 PUBLISHED IN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 47133 ON 29 JULY 2022

The CER's submission on the draft NWRS-3 argues that the strategy must move beyond treating climate change as a future threat and instead implement binding regulations to protect water security. The CER advocates for the formal legal protection of Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs), strengthened compliance monitoring and enforcement (CME) through the 'Blue Scorpions', and a moratorium on unconventional oil and gas exploration due to risks of water contamination and methane emissions. It further emphasizes the need for transparency in water licensing and the alignment of the NWRS-3 with South Africa's international commitments under the Paris Agreement and the domestic Climate Change Bill.

• The CER argues that the draft NWRS-3 incorrectly frames climate change as a future uncertainty and relies too heavily on future policies rather than immediate binding regulations, despite acknowledging that water is the primary medium for climate impacts in South Africa.
• Climate projections for South Africa indicate increased frequency and intensity of long-duration droughts, heat waves, and extreme rainfall events, which threaten water availability, water quality, and critical infrastructure.
• The CER emphasizes that Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) remain unprotected and threatened by water-intensive activities like coal mining, and urges the NWRS-3 to implement a multi-pronged legal protection strategy.
• To improve water resource protection, the CER recommends strengthening Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CME) by increasing the capacity of the 'Blue Scorpions', improving whistleblowing mechanisms, and publishing CME results to deter non-compliance.
• The CER calls for a ban or moratorium on unconventional oil and gas exploration until further studies are conducted, citing the risk of water contamination and the high global warming potential of methane emissions.
• The submission asserts that the NWRS-3 must be aligned with South Africa's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and the provisions of the Climate Change Bill.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2022). SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES STRATEGY-3 PUBLISHED IN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 47133 ON 29 JULY 2022. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CER-submission-on-the-Draft-National-Water-Resource-Strategy-3_28-10-22.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES STRATEGY-3 PUBLISHED IN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 47133 ON 29 JULY 2022. 2022. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CER-submission-on-the-Draft-National-Water-Resource-Strategy-3_28-10-22.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES STRATEGY-3 PUBLISHED IN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 47133 ON 29 JULY 2022 |date=28 October 2022 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CER-submission-on-the-Draft-National-Water-Resource-Strategy-3_28-10-22.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2022submissions, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{SUBMISSIONS ON THE DRAFT NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES STRATEGY-3 PUBLISHED IN GOVERNMENT GAZETTE 47133 ON 29 JULY 2022}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CER-submission-on-the-Draft-National-Water-Resource-Strategy-3_28-10-22.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }