Offences and Penalties for Water Pollution in South Africa 12+

📗 The growth of industrialisation has increased water pollution. Industries and individuals produce pollutants that are discharged into waters. Uncontrolled water pollution results in health hazards to human beings and other livings. Thus there is a need to impose water pollution control measures to reduce pollution to an extent where very little pollutants are discharged into waters. States have enacted statutes for controlling water pollution in order to achieve the safety of waters. Legislation impose measures, such as a permit and its conditions, that must be respected to discharge pollutant or trade effluent into waters, otherwise the discharger becomes a polluter and liable to criminal sanctions. Statutes provide fines or imprisonment, or both, for water polluters and severely punish a subsequent offender. Corporation and corporate officers are punished for the offence of polluting waters. Environmental audit or service orders restores the environment in its previous condition and may be used to detect and correct an inappropriate management system. Prosecution for environmental crime must be used as a last resort.