KZN farmers engage with government at waste water compliance workshops

Milk producers in the Ixopo and Estcourt regions of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) attended workshops on how to manage waste water in terms of the requirements of the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) and the Waste Act (Act 59 of 2008) on 8 and 9 November 2016. The workshops were well-attended and a high level of interaction took place between dairy farmers and government officials. Officials from the Department of Water and Sanitation and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Environmental Affairs informed producers about legislative requirements and the process involved with the registration and authorisation of effluent dams for the storage and discharge of waste. The interactive workshops provided the platform for dairy farmers and government to raise important issues which will be addressed in the near future. Developing and distributing a simplified list of requirements dairy farmers have to comply with are some of the action steps identified during the workshops. The MPO and officials from both departments emphasized their commitment to support dairy farmers in being informed of requirements, understanding what is expected by government and assisting them with the registration and authorisation processes.