Deadline for comment extended: Water Regulations for exploration and production of gas activities
16 May 2021
On 7 May 2021 the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation published her intention to make regulations for the protection of water resources during exploration and production of onshore gas activities (such as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”). The deadline for comment has been extended to 7 August 2021.
These regulations aim to protect water resources so as to avoid and minimise detrimental and cumulative impacts as a result of prescribed “controlled activities.” The controlled activity the Regulations are aimed at is “the exploration and or production of onshore naturally occurring hydrocarbons that requires stimulation, including but not limited to hydraulic fracturing and or underground gasification, to extract, and any activity incidental thereto that may impact detrimentally on the water resource.”
The Minister has requested comment from the public on the draft Regulations for the use of water for exploration and production of onshore naturally occurring hydrocarbons that require stimulation, including hydraulic fracturing and underground gasification, to extract, and any activity incidental thereto that may impact detrimentally on the water resource.
Comment must be submitted to the Department before 7 August 2021.