ENVIRONMENTAL

DECISION SUPPORT

SYSTEM

IntegratedEnvironmentalManagementSeries

Sub-series

1.5

water affairsDepartment:Water AffairsREPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA

Purpose of EDSS

What role does DWA play in environmental decision-making?

The IntEnvironmdevelopewith regaof enviroProvide IResourceAssessingdecision-mlegislationdecision-mEDSS fits

tegrated Enviromental Decision

d to assist DWA iard to (1) Consisteonmental assessmIEM tools to assManagement (W

and reviewingaking criteria, st

n; and (4) Defininaking. The diag

into the overall DW

nmental ManaSupport System

n environmentalncy in applicationent and manageist activities in tRM) and Water Seenvironmental randard condition

ng DWA’s role inram to follow ind

A IEM Series.

gement (IEM)(EDSS) was

decision makingand evaluation

ment tools; (2)erms of Waterervices (WS); (3)eports throughs and applicable

environmentalicates how the

DWA fulfildecision-ma

s the followingking:

roles in envirronmental

As the custfulfils the fRESOURCENational Wa

• Polic

• Wate

• Regu

• Natio

odian of our natioollowing functioMANAGEMENTter Act, 1998 (Ac

cy and Strategy De

er Resource Prote

lating Water Use;

nal Planning.

n’s water resourns with regard t

in accordancet 36 of 1998) (NW

velopment;

ction;

; and

rces, DWAo WATERwith theA):

For WATEensure theand supplinstitutionsthe commServices Acthe followi

ER SERVICES, e effective, efficy of water and

s that are accouunity that they ct, 1997 (Act 108ng regulatory fun

the Departmentcient and sustain

sanitation sentable and respserve. Under tof 1997), DWA

nctions:

t’s role is nable use rvices by

ponsive to the Water

performs

• Wate

• Deve

• Regu

• Mon

er Services Plannin

loping and Mainta

lation and Interve

itoring and Auditi

g;

ining Policy and S

ntion; and

ng.

Strategy;

This refers t olegislation froauthorisationEnvironmentaEnvironmentaproject propowith DWA’s ro

• Wateroperation

• Monitori

• Remedia

• Working

those instancesom other organs- e.g. listedl Managementl Impact Assessnent. Implementile as developer o

resource infrass;

ng systems for gau

tion measures to p

for Water Program

where DWA muss of state and m

activity underAct, 1998 (Act

sment (EIA) Regung functions thatr operator include

structure develo

ging weirs and fis

rotect water reso

me.

t comply withust apply forthe National

107 of 1998)ulations, as aare associated

e:

pment and

sh ways;

urces; and

1. REGULATOR: WRM WS+

2. IMPLEMENTOR: WRM

Each checklist isrole, its purposescenario to whichonly).

discussed hereaft, an overview oit can be applied

ter in terms of Df the checklist a

(for certain chec

WA’snd aklists

CfRIer

Consultant / applforwards EnviroReports to DWA tInternal DWA reemphasis is placresources and wat

icant / other Govnmental Impactto comment on aeview process unced on the mater services during

vernment Departmand Managem

s part of EIA procndertaken. Particnagement of wthe review.

mentmentcess.cularater

T

f

The purpose of tenvironmental dfunctions, activitie

the EDSS is to pecision-making ps and responsibili

rovide tools to aertaining to DW

ities.

ssistA’s

T

T

•

•

The EDSS consischecklist is aimed

he EDSS checkcategories, namel

• Environmenwhere DWCommento

• Environmenacts as the

sts of variousnat the review o

lists have beeny:

ntal Planning andA acts as th

ry Authority.

ntal ManagemenRegulator.

checklists, andf specific documseparated into

d Assessment Tohe Implementor

t Tools – where

eachents.two

ols –r or

DWA

Additional envir oreporting toolsMonitoring and A1.7) and Environm1.8).

nmental checklistavailable inc

uditing Tools (IEental Reporting

ts and environmclude EnvironmeEM Sub-series 1.6

Tools (IEM Sub-s

entalntaland

series

What assistance is available to aid DWA in environmental decision-making?

3. COMMENTORY AUTHORITY: WRM WS+

1. OVERVIEW OF CHECKLISTS

E.g. Water Use Regulation Pollution control

E.g. Water Services Regulation

E.g. Gauging weirs Dams

Overview of EDSS Checklists

Unauthorisidentified imeans of aNEMA. O nadministra151(2) of t Due to theNEMA andand the r eAffairs takachieving c

EnvironmeRequireme

Section 2proponentrequire a usignificantlassessmensection 3(aplace in asection 7, w(c) invest

impacimplem

(f) investmonitassessafter t

sed commencemein terms of the EIA

n application ton the contrary, Dative fine but a che National Wate

linkage of the auSection 21 of the

elevant Provinciales place in aooperative gover

ental Manageents

24(1) of NEMAts of all developmuthorisation or pely affect the env

nt of environmen) states that the

ccordance with phich requires an

tigation of mitigacts to a minimummenting the activitigation and formutoring and manasment of the effetheir implementat

ent or continuatioRegulations can

DEA in terms ofDWA does not h

criminal fine outlir Act, 1998 (No. 36

thorisations undee NWA, decision-m

Departments ofcollaborative manance.

ment Program

imposes the oents, projects andrmission by law avironment, mustntal and social i

required assessmrocedures compl

:ation measures t om, as well as theity; and:ulation of arrangeagement of impctiveness of such

tion.

n of activitiesbe rectified by

Section 24G ofave a similar

ned in sectionof 1998).

r Section 24 ofaking by DWAEnvironmentalnner, towards

mme (EMP)

bligation thatd activities thatand which may

undertake anmpacts. Sub-

ment must takeying with sub-

o keep adverseoption of not

ements for theacts, and the

arrangements

The listsNEMA, wthe DEA o

• GN No.process

• GN Noprocess

• GN No.process

• GovernManage

of activities identhich require envi

or its provincial cou

. R. 544 (Listings;

. R. 545 (Listings.

. R. 546 (Listings in specific geogra

nment Notice Noement Framework

tified in terms ofronmental authorunterparts, are as

Notice 1) – Basic

Notice 2) – Scop

Notice 3) – Basicaphical areas

o. R. 547 – Enks

Sections 24risation fromfollows:

c Assessment

ping and EIA

c Assessment

nvironmental

EnvironmenRequiremen

Section 39Developmea proponenan EIA anProgrammeResources (

The Ministeof the MPRalia provisio

An EMP aimthe EIA andwith regardrecommendmonitoring,their impleresources an

An EMP menvironmenResources,ManagemenOccupationaNational En59 of 2008),

The diagram

involvement

ntal Managementnts

of the Mineralnt Act (No. 28 of 2

nt who has appliednd submit an Ee Report (EMPR) toDMR).

er of Mineral ResoDA developed regons for the requisi

s to bridge the gthe implementat

to implemented in the EIAauditing and ta

ementation. Annd deadlines to ea

must take into c ontal legislation, e.1983 (No. 43 oft: Air Quality,

al Health and S avironmental Man, etc.

below reflects DW

in the review of E

t Programme Repo

and Petroleum2002) (MPRDA) re

for a mining rignvironmental Ma

the Department

ources has under Sulations, which cote contents of an

ap between the cion of the projec

ing the mitigatidocumentation

king corrective aEMP allocates

ach of the actions.

onsideration a hg. Conservation o1983), National E, 2004 (No 39afety, 1993 (Noagement: Waste A

A’s business pro

EIAs, EMPs and EM

ort (EMPR)

Resourcesquires thatht conductanagementof Mineral

Section 107ontain interEMPR.

completion ofct, particularlyon measures, and thenctions duringresponsibility,

host of otherf Agricultural

Environmentalof 2004),

85 of 1993),Act, 2008 (No

cess for

PRs.

In order forManagemenincluded in t

DWA to reviewt Reports, the folhe submission (as

Environmental Imlowing informatio

s a minimum):

pact andn must be

1. Clear, legi(not 1:50 0of project aa. Water

charac

ble and detailed00 scale) indicat

and all affected –resources, water

cteristics of the wa

locality plans o rting position and

courses, wetlandstercourse;

r mapsextent

s,

a. Floodlb. Deline

2. Current deffected pr

3. Details reeffect and/alternativedocuments

lines (1:100);ated riparian hab

development, lanroperty;egarding the pr/or impacts on w

es and/or mitigatis to assist decision

itat;nd and water u

oposed developater resources incion measures. Ten making include –

se on

ment’scludingchnical–

DeSubL. N(01ww

W

partment of Wate-directorate: Envaidoo

2) 336 8870w.dwa.gov.za/iem

ant to know more

er Affairsironment and Rec

.aspx

c. Phases of a PProject Life-cycle ––

e?

reation

4. In order to give e(Chapter 5 of Nenvironment ofinvestigated, ascompetent authoa. Assessment

A standardimpacts inclu

effect to the geneNEMA), the poten

listed activities mssessed and repority.of Environmentalapproach to assedes an appraisal o

ral objectives of Intial impact onmust be considerported on to

Impacts -ssing environmen

of the following.

IEMthe

red,the

ntal

b. Mitigation ofMitigation menvironmentpresented be

f Environmental Imeasures are a

al impacts accordlow.

mpacts -imed at managing to the hierar

ingrchy

d. AlternativesIn relation to adifferent meansrequirements olocation, type oinput material, op

s –proposed activityof meeting the

f the activity (f activity, designerational aspects

, an alternativegeneral purposee.g. alternatives, layout, technoland no-go option

is aand

toogy,).

TheIEMleg

e DWA Legal GuiSeries, aims to

al requirements a

de Booklet, whicguide the user inssociated with DW

h forms part of tunderstanding tA’s functions.

hehe

TheImmaenvfunthe

e booklet distingplementor of sch

aintenance) withironment, or a

nction (to controle environment).

uishes betweenemes (construct

an impactings Regulator witactivities that may

DWA’s roles asion, operation a

function on th a managemehave an impact

anndhenton

Review of Environmental Impact and Management Reports

Environm

On 18 JupromulgaNational Eof 1998) (545, R546of 18 JunEIA regulGovernmein 21 AprregulationConservat

mental Impact Asse

ne 2010 the Minted regulations iEnvironmental Ma(NEMA), Governm

and R. 547 in Gone 2010. These relations (GN No.ent Gazette No. 2il 2006 of NEMA

ns promulgated ition Act, 1989 (No

essment (EIA) Req

ister of Environmn terms of Chapnagement Act, 1ent Notice (GN) N

overnment Gazettegulations replace

R385, R386 and8753) that werewhich were replan terms of the

o. 73 of 1989) in 19

quirements

ental Affairster 5 of the998 (No. 107o. R. 544, R.

te No. 33306ed the NEMA

R. 387 inpromulgatedcing the firstEnvironment97.

1. Legal Framework

2. DWA Business Process

Reports:

Envi

ron

me

nta

lIm

pac

t

Ass

essm

en

tan

dM

ana

gem

en

tP

lan

sSp

eci

alis

tst

ud

ies

BasicRepoAssesEnvirRehaManaProgrstate

c Assessment Repororts, Environmessment, Environmeronmental Manabilitation Plans, Intagement Plan, Mamme, Design

ements; public parti

rts, Environmental Sental Impactental Managementagement Frame

tegrated Water andonitoring and Adrawings and mcipation reports.

Scoping(Risk)Plans,

works,Waste

uditingmethod

• WeStatSenEco

• Dol

• Geo

• Sto

• We

• Gro

• Eng

• Geo

• Aqu

• Wa

• Geo

• Wa

• Etc

etlands~details onte (PES), Ecolo

nsitivity (EIS) anological Class (REC);

lomite Risk Manage

otechnical Reports;

rmwater Managem

etland Management

oundwater Manage

ineering Services

ohydrology

uatic health

ater Quality

ology and soil

ater balance

.

the Present Ecoogical Importancend the Recomm

ement Strategies;

ent Plans;

t Plan

ment Strategy;

logicale andmended

Mas

ter

pla

n

Envi

ron

men

tal

Site

Man

age

men

t

and

Reh

abili

tati

on

Pla

n

Showthatserviaesthindicpermtheenviryear

s the spatial comwill take place, a cces in terms of itsetic quality—a m

ates watercoursmanent infrastructu

delineated riparianronmental valuedfloodline.

mponent of the a cccess routes and sposition, shape, sc

master plan of thses, temporaryre, the proposed an habitat, wetlandfeatures and the

ctivitiessupportale ande site

andactivity,

area,1: 100

Thiswhicaspeincluperiostipu

plan is essentiallch details and q uects related to the puded in the docuod of the construlated in the constr

y a refined Masteuantifies all const

roject. The specifiument are valid fuction which shoruction contract.

r Planructioncations

for theuld be

Plans:

Ch

arac

teri

stic

s o

f a

wat

erc

ou

rse

Nature

Extent

Magnitude

Duration

Probability

Significance

Impact Assessment

Prevention

Reduction

Remediation

Compensation

Planning Construction Operation Decommissioning

4. Legal Assistance