Important announcement concerning the Hartbeespoort dam remediation project

(2006-11-27)

Rand Water, empowered by the Department of Water Affairs as the implementation agent, has embarked on the immediate launching of this important project.

H.WAG is identified as an important role player in the remediation program and has been invited to make its intellectual property available to the program. H.WAG has been actively involved since 2001, in the process of facilitating the actions required to reverse and correct the eutrophication of the Hartbeespoort dam. H.WAG, a non-profit company is run by volunteers and solely funded by residents of the area.

The main cause of the unacceptable and unhealthy condition is the pollution from the Gauteng catchment area, being the excessive phosphates from sewerage works and other sources.

The immediate actions include the construction and placement of floating booms at strategic positions to collect the floating algals and hyacinths for removal from the water surface. The first boom has been placed at the dam wall and has a permanent pump to remove the algae. The second boom is under construction and will be placed near to the bridge, with a third at the Crocodile River and a fourth in the Magalies River.

Floating islands of vegetation, mezocosms, will be deployed to provide habitat for the required zooplankton, daphnia and other aquatic animals. These mezocosms provide a dual role in that they remove phosphates from the water in their growing process.

An extensive monitoring program has been launched to provide up to date information of the chemical condition of the water, both in the dam and at the entry points of incoming water. This information is invaluable in identifying the point sources of the pollution as well as to monitor the progress of the remediation program.

Public awareness programs have been launched in the area informing the residents and other water users of the dangers of the polluted water and advise them of the implementation program. Several schools in the area have already been taken on field workshops to make them aware of the water problems.

Impoundment dams are planned for placement in the Crocodile River used for the removal of excessive phosphates. A fish manipulation program including removing the coarse fish will be enabled soon.

H.WAG has been invited to assist in the long awaited formation of a Water User Association or WUA, a statuary body empowered by the Department of Water Affairs, nearing completion and which will take control of the dam and will be able to take to task polluters and levy all users for use by the remediation of the dam.

For more info contact Rick van Rossum, H.WAG CEO on rick@bluedust.co.za, contact the H.WAG office on 012 253 1957 or hwaginfo@gmail.com