THE Department of Water and Sanitation urges dam owners across South Africa with unregistered dams to promptly register them to ensure compliance with dam safety laws.
This directive follows a gazette notice issued by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, mandating the registration of existing dams posing safety risks, as required by the National Water Act (Act No.36 of 1998) and Regulations 2, 3, and 37 of the Dam Safety Regulations (R 139 of February 24, 2012).
In a statement released by the Department on November 29, it said that the registration process is crucial for ensuring dam safety and mitigating risks to the public, property, and water resources.
Dam owners with structures classified as having a safety risk must verify their registration status and, if necessary, submit the required registration forms to the Department.
Wally Ramokopa, Head of the Specialist Unit: Dam Safety Regulation within the Department, said, “A dam considered to have a safety risk holds over 50 000 m³ (50 megalitres) of water, regardless of its content, and has a vertical height exceeding 5 metres from the downstream base.”
Ramokopa noted that the Department is launching a comprehensive multimedia campaign to promote the significance of dam registration.
The goal is to ensure that all dams with safety risks meet compliance standards, thus preventing harm to people, property, and the environment.
According to the statement, the campaign also aims to maintain an up-to-date database of dam ownership and compliance for effective regulation and risk management.
Dam owners are instructed to update their information if already registered and to submit registration and classification forms if not registered.
These forms are available on the Department’s website at www.dws.gov.za/dso or can be collected from the nearest departmental offices.
According to the statement, compliance enforcement requires that dam owners conduct safety inspections at least every five years.
Therefore, owners must arrange formal safety inspections conducted by an Approved Professional Person (APP).
Recognising South Africa as a water-scarce country, the Department stresses the importance of these evaluations. “During the five-year safety assessment, the APP performs a flood frequency analysis to evaluate the dam’s ability to manage various flood scenarios,” the statement said.
“This procedure helps the Department’s Dam Safety Office anticipate potential overtopping and structural damage.”
According to the statement, the reports from APP assessments, containing insights on flood handling capacity and dam integrity, are submitted to the Department’s Dam Safety Office. Beyond adhering to dam safety regulations, owners must implement APP-recommended measures after evaluations.
“Should dam owners fail to act on APP recommendations, especially if the evaluations reveal potential risks or structural failures, the Dam Safety Office is authorised to issue directives compelling compliance,” the statement said.
Ramokopa warned non-compliant dam owners of strict penalties, asserting that the Department is committed to enforcing legal mandates to prevent disasters.
“Owners must adhere to laws and implement APP recommendations post-inspection. To avert loss of life and protect the environment, we will rigorously enforce compliance,” Ramokopa stated.
The Department calls on all dam owners to act promptly, emphasising that compliance is not only a legal obligation but also a vital step in safeguarding communities, the environment, and future water security.
For more information regarding dam registration, contact the Specialist Unit: Dam Safety Regulation at damsafety@dws.gov.za, Mokgadi Modipane, at 082 8027092, or Makgano Tlaka at 083 412 2649.
