R600 million per annum has been committed to creating a permanent solution to acid mine drainage that will also produce potable water.

The purpose of the long-term solution is to further treat the water by removing the sulphates and creating water for commercial use as either industrial or potable water. The long-term solution will therefore turn the acid mine drainage problem into a long-term sustainable solution by producing safe water.

The commitment was made yesterday by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) at the South West Vertical Shaft, Central Basin in Germiston.

The solution “promises simultaneously to augment water supply to the nation’s economic hub of Gauging region,” said Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane.

“This long term intervention will therefore turn the acid mine drainage problem into a long-term sustainable solution by producing fully treated water that will significantly increase water supply to the Vaal River System an defer the need for further costly augmentation beyond Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project for at least another 30 years.”

“The pinnacle of this approach is that a polluted resource once considered with contempt, now becomes a commodity contributing to security of the availability of water resources in the Vaal River System” added the minister.

With the support of the National Treasury, the DWS has decided to cap the contributions of the water users to the cost of dealing with the problem to only 33% of the project cost. The intention of Government is to recover the balance of 67% from the mines through the proposed environmental levy.

In the interim however, prior to the implementation of the policy and associated consultations, government will cover the anticipated recoveries from the mining sector.

 

Short-term solution comes to a close

The announcement comes as the short-term acid mine drainage solution nears a successful completion.

In 2011 the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority was mandated by government to provide a short-term solution to the acid mine drainage challenge experienced by the Gauteng province.

This project was aimed at implementing the short-term action plan in the Western, Central and Eastern Basins of the Witwatersrand Goldfields. The short-term action plan was to prevent decant in the Western Basin and breaching of the Environmental Critical Level in the Central and Eastern Basins.