Section 29, No. 5 National Water Resources Management Agency Act 2017No. 5 National Water Resources Management Agency Act 2017

(1) An application for water use permit may be obtainedfrom the Agency for any of the following purposes– (a) domestic water use (b) commercial water use (c) municipal water use (d) industrial water use (e) agricultural water use (f) power generation water use (g) water transportation use (h) fisheries (aquaculture) water use (i) environmental water use; (j) underwater wood harvesting; and (k) recreational water use ; or (l) any other purpose (2) An application for water use permit under subsection (1), shall be submitted to the Agency in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by- (a) the prescribed administrative and processing fees; and (b) any other information including an environmental impact assessment and an environmental management plan as the Agency may consider appropriate. (3) The Agency shall, within 10 days of receipt of an application under subsection (2), - (a) acknowledge receipt of the application in writing, and (b) not more than 4 months, inform the applicant in writing of the Agency's decision. (4) In considering an application for water use permit under subsection (2), the Agency shall be guided by the priority of domestic water use and any other national socio-economic development factors including - (a) lawful uses of water, including customary water use to the extent that such use does not conflict with national water policy and strategy; (b) efficient and beneficial use of water in the public interest; (c) the likely effect of the water use on the water resource and on other water users, including the avoidance of significant harm to customary users; (d) the strategic importance of the water use; and (e) the likely effect of the water use on water quality and reserve.