[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
dam-l Namibian water law/LS
>From The Namibian:
February 16, 2000- Web posted at 10:15 a.m. GMT
Ground laid for new water legislation
ABSALOM SHIGWEDHA
A DRAFT Bill aimed at improving Namibia's scarce water resources
should be ready to be
presented to Parliament by the end of March.
Leader of the Namibia Water Resources Management Review (NWRMR)
technical team,
Samuel Goagoseb, told a press briefing in Windhoek on Monday that
they are putting
finishing touches to the Bill, drawn up within the framework of a
water policy approved by
Cabinet in December.
Goagoseb said the Bill will need to conform to internationally
accepted principles and to
respond to Namibia's specific needs and must contribute to the
sustainable development and
management of water resources in Namibia.
Goagoseb said NWRMR has identified seven main building blocks in the
management of
water resources. These include water conservation, water resources
assessment and shared
water courses.
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and the country's
water resources are
extremely fragile.
The introduction to the Namibian National Water Policy notes that
there are already signs that
the country's renewable and non-renewable water supplies are being
depleted "and that
environmental degradation threatens".
The water policy framework says implementation of the water policy
"will require changes to
our laws and changes in the way we use water.
"For some these changes may mean that their water use is restricted -
for most it will mean
improved access and greater equity."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lori Pottinger, Director, Southern Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::