 | Dam owners asked to register them now
11 December 2024 | Press Releases |
Drakenstein Municipality calls on all owners of unregistered dams with a safety risk in Drakenstein to register their dams at the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). Owners of registered dams should also confirm their details.
The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, notified dam owners of this requirement in the Government Gazette published on 29 November 2024. Dam owners or people who rent dams have 60 days following the publication date to comply.
The DWS defines a dam with a safety risk as a dam with a storage capacity of more than 50 000 m3, whether that water basin contains any substance or not, and which has a wall of a vertical height of over 5m.
Should the dam already be registered, the responsible party must ensure that their contact details are updated on the DWS's database. This also applies to cases in which the ownership of a dam with a safety risk has changed. No charge is applicable to register a dam with a safety risk.
Should a dam not appear on the register, the dam will need to be classified first by the DWS. A person who contravenes or fails to comply with the National Water Act and Dam Safety Regulations is guilty of an offence. On conviction, such a person is liable to a fine or imprisonment of a period not exceeding five years, or to both a fine and such imprisonment.
Only official forms may be used to register dams. Dam owners can find these forms at DWS: Dam Safety Office.
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Issued by: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality
