Thukela Water Project

OVERVIEW OF THE TWP DECISION SUPPORT PHASE

Work Breakdown and Organisational Structures

The purpose of the TWP Decision Support Phase is to address the issues which were identified during the TWP Feasibility Study as requiring clarification or finalisation before making a decision to implement or not.

The TWP Decision Support Phase will consist of the following main modules:
 

Project Management Team

A Project Management Team (PMT) will manage and co-ordinate the main modules comprising the Decision Support Phase. There are various activities and tasks under each of these modules for which consultants will be appointed. A description of the objectives and scope of work of the modules comprising the Decision Support Phase is given below.

Reserve Determination Module

The purpose of the study is to determine the stream flow required for sustainable management of the social and ecological systems as required by Chapter 3 of the National Water Act, No. 108 of 1998. The Reserve Determination process will follow a scenario planning approach whereby the water quantity and quality requirements of different river management classes will be evaluated, against social, ecological and economic criteria. The preferred Reserve will then be determined through a process of stakeholder participation and agreed to by consensus.

The Reserve Determination will comprise five main activities to be undertaken namely:

• A project management and co-ordination function for all the activities needed to achieve the objectives of the module.
• The ecological reserve determination of various reaches of Thukela River including the River Mouth and Thukela Banks. This will be undertaken through scenario building and determination of the implications of the scenarios for each river reach.
• The determination of the basic human needs reserve based on the basic level of service for domestic use.
• Facilitate the public participation process necessary in the determination of the ecological reserve.
• To assess and quantify (or qualify) the economic, social, cultural, and ecological consequences of providing the Reserve.

This module will be supported by a sub-module dealing with hydrology, water resources and system analysis.

Environmental Investigations (Update)

The aim of this module is to undertake specific environmental investigations (of a limited scope and duration) to confirm Feasibility Study findings. In view of the fact that it is unknown when augmentation to the VRS will be required, these environmental investigations will be limited to those where results are unlikely to be influenced by time. In situations where this is not the case, requirements for additional investigations will be packaged for easy commissioning by the DWAF at the appropriate time.

Public Involvement Programme

In order to provide a structured framework and process to enable Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the TWP Decision Support Phase, a Public Involvement Programme (PIP) has been commissioned. A PIP Consultant is responsible for developing and maintaining a communications strategy, managing a database information system of the Decision Support Phase and develop a programme to ensure meaningful participation of stakeholders. The PIP will also assist the PMT with the dissemination of information during the decision support stage.

The PIP will assist the consultants responsible for the Reserve Determination and Environmental Investigations (Update) modules by facilitating the participation of I&APs.