The Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) website provides resources, documents and guidelines relating to the IWRM programme, which was initiated in 2000 by the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), with the assistance of the Royal Danish Government (DANIDA),. The programme aims to pilot Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches in three water management areas of South Africa.
These are:
- the Crocodile West – Marico (mainly in North West Province)
- Mvoti to uMzimkulu (Kwa-Zulu Natal)
- Olifants-Doorn (mainly in Western Cape Province).
IWRM is currently ungergoing the secong of two phases. Phase I (2000 – 2004) was aimed to develop a number of guidelines related to groundwater, water conservation and demand management, and to provide support to water management institutions such as water user associations (WUAs) and catchment management agencies (CMAs). The guidelines were tested through a series of pilot projects.
IWRM Phase II (2006 – 2010) is being implemented through direct support and it is driven by a partnership between DWAF, the South African Government Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). The programme further supports the CMA establishment process in the start-up phases, and provides stakeholder capacity building to specific marginalised groups and local authorities.