The Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry (National Assembly)

Dear Ms Cassiem

As discussed telephonically, please find herewith Umgeni Water comment on the NWRS.

 Umgeni Water salutes DWAF for putting together an excellent and comprehensive document that sets out an enabling environment for protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of the country's water resources including international obligations for shared river basins.

Umgeni embraces and fully endorses this strategy and pledges support to DWAF and other stakeholders in achieving the NWRS objectives.

Umgeni Water has also been fortunate to have been involved in the public consultation process for WMA 11 - Mvoti to Mzimkhulu - during 2002. We are also pleased to note that comments we have made to date have been incorporated into the 2004 published document.

In WMA 11 specifically - Umgeni will continue to offer support to stakeholders, notably the future CMA - in respect of skills and knowledge of the region that we have as well as make valuable input into future catchment management strategies for the region. These range from water resources planning to water quality monitoring and planning inputs, amongst others, as well as continued support to emerging catchment management forums – to better enable local participation.

Being in the fortunate position of providing bulk services to Local Municipalities - Umgeni has used this opportunity to bridge the awareness gap between water management, the role of future CMAs and water services. This again - we will continue to do - such that the institutional roles and responsibilities can be more effectively aligned towards satisfying the regional and national NWRS and IWRM objectives.

Yours faithfully