Some Legal Options to Ensure the Protection of South Africa's Utilisable Groundwater Resources
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2021/v25i0a13483Keywords:
Groundwater governance, water law, protection, land use activities, hydrogeologyAbstract
Groundwater, which is water that is found underground, is less susceptible than surface water resources to evaporation, and thus offers resilience against the impacts of climate change. Many South African cities, communities and farmers depend on groundwater for domestic or other socio-economic purposes. This implies that groundwater resources which are currently or potentially utilisable should be identified, and suitable legal measures should be implemented to protect these resources from potential risks of harm or damage posed by anthropogenic activity. This article firstly evaluates the effectiveness of the country's existing regulatory framework to effectively protect South Africa's groundwater resources and finds that the framework can be improved upon significantly. Secondly, it explores regulatory opportunities within the existing legal framework to strengthen South Africa's groundwater governance regime, including making use of land-use planning instruments to facilitate the implementation of groundwater protection zones.
Downloads
References
Bibliography
Literature
Adams S et al "Critical Reflections on 20 Years of Groundwater Research, Development and Implementation in South Africa" 2015 South DOI: https://doi.org/10.2113/gssajg.118.1.5
Adetunji VO and Odetokun IA "Groundwater Contamination in Agbowo Community, Ibadan Nigeria: Impact of Septic Tanks Distances to Wells" 2011 Malaysian Journal of Microbiology 159-166 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21161/mjm.33011
Akhtar N et al "Various Natural and Anthropogenic Factors Responsible for Water Quality Degradation: A Review" 2021 Water 1-35 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w13192660
Bakalowicz M "Karst Groundwater: A Challenge for New Resources" 2005 Hydrogeology Journal 148-160 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-004-0402-9
Chave P et al "Groundwater Protection Zones" in Schmoll O et al (eds) Protecting Groundwater for Health (IWA London 2006) 465-492
Cole MJ et al "Spatial Inequality in Water Access and Water Use in South Africa" 2018 Water Policy 37-52 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2017.111
Department of Water Affairs Development of Reconciliation Strategies for All Towns in the Southern Planning Region: Provincial Summary Report – Western Cape (DWA Report No P RSA 000/00/15411) (Department of Water Affairs Pretoria 2011)
Department of Water Affairs National Groundwater Strategy (Department of Water Affairs Pretoria 2010)
Department of Water Affairs National Water Resource Strategy 2nd ed (Department of Water Affairs Pretoria 2013)
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry National Water Resource Strategy (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Pretoria 2004)
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Policy and Strategy for Groundwater Quality Management (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Pretoria 2000)
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry White Paper on a National Water Policy for South Africa (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Pretoria 1997)
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry White Paper on Water Supply and Sanitation Policy (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Pretoria 1994)
Foose RM "Sinkhole Formation by Groundwater Withdrawal: Far West Rand, South Africa" 1967 Science 1045-1048 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.157.3792.1045
Foster S et al Groundwater Quality Protection: A Guide for Water Utilities, Municipal Authorities and Environment Agencies (World Bank Washington DC 2002) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1596/0-8213-4951-1
Jakeman AJ et al (eds) Integrated Groundwater Management: An Overview of Concepts and Challenges (Springer Cham 2016) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23576-9
Knüppe K "The Challenges Facing Sustainable and Adaptive Groundwater Management in South Africa" 2011 Water SA 67-80 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v37i1.64110
Levy J and Xu Y "Review: Groundwater Management and Groundwater/Surface-Water Interaction in the Context of South African Water Policy" 2011 Hydrogeology Journal 205-226 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-011-0776-4
Ligavha-Mbelengwa L and Gomo M "Investigation of Factors Influencing Groundwater Quality in a Typical Karoo Aquifer in Beaufort West Town of South Africa" 2020 Environmental Earth Sciences 1-15 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-08936-1
Maclear LGA "The Hydrogeology of the Uitenhage Artesian Basin with Reference to the Table Mountain Group Aquifer" 2001 Water SA 499-506 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v27i4.4963
Milton J "Planning and Property" 1985 Acta Juridica 267-288
Mutandanyi T Modelling Subsurface Water Flow in the Unsaturated Zone (MSc-thesis University of the Free State 2019)
Nel M Groundwater: The Myths, the Truths, and the Basics (WRC Report SP 108/17) (Water Research Commission Pretoria 2017)
Nel J et al "Benefit and Implementation of Groundwater Protection Zoning in South Africa" 2009 Water Resources Management 2895-2911 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-009-9415-4
Pienaar GJ and Van der Schyff E "The Reform of Water Rights in South Africa" 2007 Law, Environment and Development Journal 181-194
Saayman IC et al Assessment of Aquifer Vulnerability in South Africa: Report to the Water Research Commission (WRC Report No 1432/01/07) (Water Research Commission Pretoria 2007)
Sami K and Druzynski AL Predicted Spatial Distribution of Naturally Occurring Arsenic, Selenium and Uranium in Groundwater in South Africa – Reconnaissance Survey (WRC Report 1236/1/03) (Water Research Commission Pretoria 2003)
Shiklomanov IA "World Fresh Water Resources" in Gleick P (ed) Water in Crisis (Oxford University Press Oxford 1993) 13-24
Sun D and Zhan H "Flow to a Horizontal Well in an Aquitard-aquifer System" 2006 Journal of Hydrology 364-376 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.08.008
Takacs D "South Africa and the Human Right to Water: Equity, Ecology, and the Public Trust Doctrine" 2016 Berkeley J Int'l L 55-108
Tewari D "A Detailed Analysis of Evolution of Water Rights in South Africa: An Account of Three and a Half Centuries from 1652 AD to Present" 2009 Water SA 693-710 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v35i5.49196
Van Wyk J Planning Law 3rd ed (Juta Cape Town 2020)
Viljoen G "South Africa's Water Crisis: The Idea of Property as Both a Cause and Solution" 2017 LDD 177-200
Viljoen G "Critical Perspectives on South Africa's Groundwater Law: Established Practice and the Novel Concept of Public Trusteeship" 2020 J Energy Nat Resources L 1-19 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02646811.2020.1775389
Case law
City of Johannesburg v Mazibuko 2009 3 SA 592 (SCA)
Fuel Retailers Association of SA (Pty) Ltd v Director General, Environmental Management Mpumalanga 2007 2 SA 163 (SCA)
Hiscock v De Wet 1881 Buch AC 249
Hough v Van der Merwe 1874 4 Buch 148
Mazibuko v City of Johannesburg 2008 4 All SA 471 (W)
Mazibuko v City of Johannesburg 2010 3 BCLR 239 (CC)
Philippi Horticultural Area Food & Farming Campaign v MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning: Western Cape 2020 3 SA 486 (WCC)
Struben v Cape Town District Water Works Co 1892 9 SC 68
Legislation
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996
National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998
National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Act 25 of 2014
National Water Act 36 of 1998
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013
Water Act 54 of 1956
Water Services Act 108 of 1997
Government publications
Germany
DVGW Code of Practice W101 for Drinking Water Protection Areas Part 1, Protective Areas for Groundwater (1995)
South Africa
GN R509 in GG 22355 of 8 June 2001
GN 999 in GG 31417 of 19 September 2008
GN 708 in GG 33453 of 12 August 2010
GN 810 in GG 33541 of 17 September of 2010
GN 665 in GG 36820 of 6 September 2013
GN R982 in GG 38282 of 4 December 2014
GN R267 in GG 40713 of 24 March 2017
GN 40772 in GG 40772 of 7 April 2017
GN 1388 in GG 41310 of 8 December 2017
GN 960 in GG 42561 of 5 July 2019
GN 2464 in GG 46867 of 6 September 2022
United Kingdom
National Rivers Authority Policy and Practice for the Protection of Groundwater (1992)
Internet sources
City of Cape Town 2020 Our Shared Water Future: Cape Town's Water Strategy https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/City%20strategies,%20plans%20and%20frameworks/Cape%20Town%20Water%20Strategy.pdf accessed 16 November 2022
City of Cape Town Drought 2021 Information Portal https://www.capetowndrought.com/ accessed 31 October 2022
DWS 2022 https://www.dws.gov.za/WAR/Tosca.aspx
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment 2021 Screening Tool for EIA Processes https://screening.environment.gov.za/
screeningtool/ accessed 15 September 2022
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 2005 Groundwater Resource Assessment II. Final Report https://www.dwa.gov.za/groundwater/GRAII.aspx accessed 20 June 2022
Ellis J 2009 Sustainable Development and Precaution at the Interface between Science and Law https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1504113 accessed 5 June 2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1504113
Environmental Agency 1997 Policy and Practice for the Protection of Groundwater: Thames Region Appendix http://ea-lit.freshwaterlife.org/archive/ealit:1144/OBJ/19000622.pdf accessed 15 January 2022
Heath RC 1983 Basic Groundwater Hydrology: USGS Water Supply Paper 2220 https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/2220/report.pdf accessed 29 October 2022
Rosewarne P, Woodford A and Girman J 2005 How Much Groundwater Does South Africa Have? SANCIAHS Conference, Midrand, September 2005 https://dxi97tvbmhbca.cloudfront.net/upload/user/image/1_A_
Woodford20200304180745931.pdf accessed 15 June 2022
USGS 2018 Where is Earth's Water? https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/where-earths-water accessed 15 January 2022
USGS 2019 How Much Water is There on Earth? https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/how-much-water-there-earth accessed 7 June 2022
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Germarié Viljoen, Carin Bosman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.