The City of Ekurhuleni has added a new municipal speedboat to its arsenal of maintenance equipment.

With the arrival of summer rising water temperatures have increased the presence of invasive water plants in the City’s water bodies. Through the acquisition of the 12-seater speed boat the City hopes to attend to water bodies maintenance issues efficiently and effectively as and when required.

Together with the watermaster machine purchased 10 years ago the City is set to stave off the infestation of invasive water plants in the City’s water bodies.

Tackling invasive plants

The speed boat is equipped with a 200-litre herbicide spraying unit designed to spray aquatic invasive plants such as water hyacinth, Mexican lilies, water grass and many others found in the water bodies and shorelines.

The City’s water bodies most affected by these invasive plants include the Kleinfontein Dam, Middle Lake, Civic Lake and Homestead Dam in Benoni, Jan Smuts Dam in Brakpan, Murray Park Dam in Springs, Victoria Lake in Germiston and all other small water bodies around the city.

Introducing biological methods

“Furthermore, in an effort to ensure efficient clearing of all the city’s water bodies, the city has employed the services of the dedicated staff members comprising of seven wetland attendants and two watermaster operators.

As a long term solution, the City is working on introducing biological methods such as beetles, weevils and indigenous fish species to control the growth of alien invasive plants in the water bodies,” explained Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni.