24 July 2015
The Department of Water Affairs has created a new online water services system, the National Integrated Water Information System (NIWIS), a data portal for water management institutions.
It will allow commercial water users, researchers and the general public to get updated information on the status of water and sanitation in South Africa.
The system is user- and interface-friendly, providing information 24 hours a day on any desktop and mobile device. With this new system, the public are can query basic data from a national level, as well as from local and municipal water management information systems.
Using the system will benefit the water sector community and the public, the department says, as it will enable faster and more knowledgeable decision-making for more effective water management.
The department comprises many specialist subdivisions operating in separate functions that have been unco-ordinated for some time. The NIWIS now integrates all these business units under one system, allowing easy and convenient access this co-ordinated information.
It is part of the government’s commitment to using information and communications technology to improve public service delivery.
Information available on the NIWIS system includes:
Water and waste water monitoring: including general drinking and waste water quality checks and waste water treatment authorisation.
Water revenue information: particulars on actual water use versus registered volumes, water revenue per sector and non-revenue water.
Water regulation: information about enforcement case management, legal compliance, classification of offences by activity type, classification of offences per sector and status of the legal process.
Water services information: including municipal strategic self-assessment, access to municipal water scheme infrastructure and water board tariff information.
Water-use authorisation: raw water tariffs, municipal tariffs, water use licence application monitoring, existing lawful water use and information about water licences.
Water sector decision makers: information about department representatives and external stakeholders.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
