dwa.gov.za Apply for Water Use Licence Online : Department Of Water & Sanitation

Name of the Organization : Department Of Water & Sanitation
Status of Facility : Apply for Water Use Licence Online
Head Office : Pretoria
Website : dwa.gov.za

How To Apply For Water Use Licence Online?

** The National Water Act (NWA) (Act No 36 of 1998)fundamentally reforms the law relating to water resources, recognising that water is a scarce and unevenly distributed national asset that belongs to the people of South Africa and provides the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) with the mandate to protect, use, develop, conserve, manage and control the country’s water resources in an integrated manner.

Related / Similar Facility : DWA e-WULAAS Portal

** The NWA therefore provides the legal basis upon which to develop tools and the means to effect this mandate.
** One of these tools is the authorisation of water use as defined in Chapter 4 of the NWA and therefor the electronic Water Use Licence Application and Authorisation System.

Water Use Authorisation Process :
** South Africa’s National Water Act (NWA) replaced all previous rights to water use with an entitlement under the new Act. The NWA now only makes provision for one “right” to water, the Reserve.

** This is the water required for basic human needs and to maintain water ecosystem functioning. Except for the water required for this Reserve and basic human needs use, all other water uses must be authorised by the Department of Water and Sanitation or a Catchment Management Agency (CMA).

These authorisations may be one of the following :
Schedule 1 use :
** small volumes of water for household use only. No application for a licence needs to be made.

General Authorisations :
** larger volumes of water may be generally authorised for a specific type of water use or category of water user. These users need to register their use but do not need a licence.

Existing Lawful Use :
** this allows water use that was lawfully used before the NWA came into effect to continue until it can be converted into a licence using compulsory licensing.

Licensed Water Use :
** Licences are issued under the NWA, and require approval of an application by the Department of Water & Sanitation or the Catchment Management Agency.

Water Use License Process :
** Your application for a water use licence will be taken in by the Regional Office of the Department of Water and Sanitation.

** The Regional Office will charge a licence processing fee, and will do an initial assessment in the Regional Office/Catchment Management Agency.
** Your licence application will then be transferred to the Head Office for further processing.

The following diagram outlines the process that will be followed :
** There are generally 6 steps to processing any licence.
** These steps aim to test the application against the principle of “beneficial use in the public interest and specifically against Section 27 of the National Water Act (NWA) [PDF – 239 KB].

These steps are :
Step 1 : Pre-Application process :
** This is done when your licence application is received, and is used to check if everything needed to process the licence is available. You will be asked to provide missing information, and may get initial feedback before you pay your application fee (R 149.00) – so you can decide whether to continue.

Step 2 : Initial assessment and grouping :
** This includes a quick assessment of the possible impacts and benefits of the proposed water use. In some cases a simple set of questions will be used to help make this assessment.

Step 3 : Regional Assessment :
** This step is done in the regional office where you made your application. The regional office gathers all the information required to make a decision on whether to approve the application, and makes a recommendation to the national office.

Step 4 : Evaluation by the National Office :
** Your application is then evaluated by specialist groups. These groups also make recommendations on the application. The application is then submitted to the Delegated Authority for a decision.

Step 5 : Decision by the Delegated Authority :
** After considering all the relevant information, the Chief Director: Water Use will make a decision on whether to approve the application.

Step 6 : Implementation :
** Once a decision has been made, the Regional Office will be informed, and they can start with implementing the licence. They will then inform you of the outcome of the application, and if approved will issue you the licence as well as highlighting any conditions that might be attached to your water use.

FAQ On DWA

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about DWA:

What is the mandate of DWA?
DWA is responsible for the management, protection, and distribution of South Africa’s water resources, as well as the provision of basic water supply and sanitation services to communities.

What services does DWA offer?
DWA offers a range of services, including water resource management, water quality management, sanitation management, and infrastructure development.

How can I access DWA services?
You can access DWA services by visiting their offices, contacting their customer service hotline, or accessing their online portal.

What is DWA’s role in water conservation?
DWA is responsible for promoting water conservation and raising awareness about the importance of water sustainability. They also work with municipalities and other stakeholders to develop and implement water conservation strategies.

Additional Simplified Procedure

Here are the steps on how to apply for a DWA Water Use Licence online:
1. Go to the DWA website: https://www.dws.gov.za/
2. Click on the “Water Use Licences” tab.
3. Click on the “e-WULAAS” link.
4. Click on the “Register” button.
5. Enter your email address and a password.
6. Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
7. Click on the “Register” button.

You will receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account. Click on the link to activate your account. Once your account is activated, you can log in to the e-WULAAS system and start applying for water use licences.

Here are some things to keep in mind when applying for a DWA Water Use Licence online:
** You must have a valid email address to register for the e-WULAAS system.
** You must create a strong password.
** You must read and agree to the terms and conditions before registering.

Here are the steps on how to apply for a water use licence online:
1. Log in to the e-WULAAS system.
2. Click on the “New Application” button.
3. Select the type of water use licence that you are applying for.
4. Fill out the online application form.
5. Upload your supporting documents.
6. Pay the application fee.
7. Click on the “Submit” button.

Your application will be reviewed by the DWA and you will be notified of the outcome of your application.

Here are some tips for applying for a water use licence online:
** Make sure that you have all of the required documents before you start the application process.
** Carefully fill out the online application form.
** Make sure that you upload clear scans of your documents.
** Check the status of your application regularly.