Employers with water treatment facilities at legal risk

Companies in the food and beverage/manufacturing/mining/agriculture/chemical/energy/automotive manufacturing sectors may be facing a 30 June 2025 deadline of which they weren’t even aware.
 
By that date, both private companies and municipalities that operate water and wastewater treatment facilities in South Africa must be able to prove that they have registered a supervisor as a Professional Process Controller with the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), as required by Regulation 3630 of the National Water Act. The regulation came into effect in 2023 and granted organisations 24 months to comply.
 
The risk of non-compliance
Non-compliant facilities risk fines, penalties, forced shutdowns of water or wastewater treatment operations, and even civil or criminal liability for environmental or health violations. If they haven’t already, organisations should urgently budget for and fast-track the necessary training and registration to remain compliant.
 
“The requirements under Regulation 3630 addresses the increasing complexity of water purification, and the understanding that water and wastewater processes need to be monitored, even if they are to some extent automated,” explains Dr Lester Goldman, CEO of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA).
 
The role of HR
Compliance with the regulation is not only a technical or operational issue, but also a staff qualifications and employment compliance matter. The responsibility to register the relevant individual therefore lies with HR departments, compliance officers, operations managers, facilities or environmental managers, and in smaller firms with the general manager or executive who oversees multiple functions, Dr Goldman explains.
 
Regulation 3630 mandates that water and wastewater treatment plants in South Africa must have a senior, professionally registered process controller as their supervisor. This means that a Professional Process Controller registered with the Water Institute of Southern Africa WISA – not an engineer or scientist – must be the supervisor at the treatment plant. Class V and Class VI Process Controllers (known as Senior Process Controllers) must also be registered with WISA as Professional Process Controllers.
 
Process Controllers who are registered with WISA are bound by the association’s code of conduct and have access to continuous professional development to uphold their professional status. The association also provides guidance and support to new entrants into this field to strengthen the pipeline of scarce and critical skills in South Africa’s water sector.
 
Acknowledging the existing compliance burden on companies, Dr Goldman softens the additional blow: “Companies who comply with the regulation are – by virtue of their compliance – also making a crucial investment in the water security of South Africa.”
 
More information on Regulation 3630 of the National Water Act and related compliance matters are available at [LINK to new page on WISA website]
 
ENDS
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Idéle Prinsloo, [email protected], 082 573 9219, www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on WISA please visit:
Website: https://wisa.org.za/
X: @WaterInstituteSA
LinkedIn: Water Institute of Southern Africa
Facebook: Water Institute of Southern Africa

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