Water Services Act, 1997 (Act No. 108 of 1997)Chapter VI : Water Boards39. Policy statement |
| (1) | A water board must prepare and adopt a policy statement. |
| (2) | The first policy statement of a water board must be prepared and adopted within one year after-- |
| (a) | the commencement of this Act; or |
| (b) | the establishment of that water board. |
| (3) | The policy statement must contain information concerning the water board and all other companies, institutions or bodies in which it has an interest, including— |
| (a) | the nature and extent of the primary and other activities to be undertaken; |
| (b) | the area within which the activities will be undertaken; |
| (c) | the measures to be taken to separate the primary and other activities from each other; |
| (d) | details concerning the management of any financial risks relating to the board's primary and other activities; |
| (e) | the board's accounting and investment policies; |
| (f) | the rules and procedures to be followed before any investments are made by the board; |
| (g) | the board's policy on human resources and human resource development; |
| (h) | the board's policy on the environment, including measures to reduce water wastage to an acceptable level; |
| (i) | the measures by which the performance of the water board will be assessed; |
| (j) | whether any advisory forums have been or are to be established, and if so, the functions and composition thereof; |
| (k) | the procedures for consultation with water services institutions, consumers, users and advisory forums, if established; |
| (l) | the nature and extent of activities aimed at ensuring access to water services provided by the board within its service area, and the extension and improvement of those services; and |
| (m) | the measures, including public awareness campaigns, to be taken to promote water conservation and water demand management; and |
| (4) | A policy statement may be amended from time to time, and must be revised at least every five years. |
| (5) | Every policy statement and every amendment thereof must— |
| (a) | be submitted to the Minister, the relevant Province and all water services institutions within the water board's service area; and |
| (b) | be accessible to the public. |
| (6) | The Minister may direct a water board to amend its policy statement if the policy statement— |
| (a) | is not in the best interests of the general population within its service area; or |
| (b) | is not in accordance with the parameters laid down in section 34(1). |