The Department and Water and Sanitation‘s Deputy Minister, Sello Seitlholo has called on various stakeholders to co-operate and address the persistent problem of hyacinth and algae that infest the Hartbeespoort Dam.
Seitlholo identified the Madibengthe local municipality, which must address the effects of inadequately treated effluent that is being released into the Hartesbeespoort catchment. He calls on the municipality to implement its by-laws and curb the problems caused by littering and chemical spillage.
“It is unfortunate that the crisis here is predominantly caused by municipalities. Although other sources of pollution exist, such as agricultural runoff and industrial chemicals, our department is focusing on municipalities. We are also advocating for the polluter-pay principle so that everyone knows the repercussions of polluting our water bodies,” says Seitlholo.
He also reiterates the need for intergovernmental commitment to resolve pollution of the country’s water sources.
Deputy Minister, Sello Seitlholo, Department of Water and Sanitation
Seitlholo adds, “Different stakeholders should coordinate to tackle the issue of pollution. There should also be cross-department efforts between the Departments of Environment, Fisheries and Forestry and Human Settlements. We should work together to implement the reforms in Operation Vulindlela or the Medium-Term Development Plan. If there is no co-ordination amongst us as government to address the reforms at a local level including the issues of pollution, we will not achieve anything.”
Hartesbeesport Dam has become increasingly eutrophic, meaning it has nutrients that support the rapid growth of hyacinth. This also deprives the water of oxygen — killing fish in the water source. This eutrophic state is an effect of increased urbanisation which leads to increased solid waste and wastewater discharges entering the upstream of the dam via the municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs).
Two years ago, the Department of Water and Sanitation appointed Magalies Water to develop a three-year remedial programme to profile problematic contaminants as well as to remove the floating plants in Hartbeespoort Dam. Magalies Water has since appointed subcontractors to complement the biological control through the mechanical and manual removal of water hyacinths.
Biological remediation or nano-bubble technology has also been piloted at the dam and focuses on specific parts of the inlets from the municipality. This technology efficiently dissolves much-needed oxygen into the aquatic ecosystem, which will help reduce a certain amount of nitrates and phosphates in the water.
The dam’s hyacinth infestation currently covers 33.84% of the dam’s surface. The Department of Water and Sanitation will monitor the progress of the remedial programme that is currently underway and will continue to conduct compliance checks and enforcement activities in the catchment area, with a focus on WWTWs.
