Ecological concerns over Boksburg dam pollutants flares up again
Natalie Morris from AS Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre: “Whatever that is being pumped into the dam has negative effects for the fish and other aquatic species and this causes the disappearance of birds.”
For the past two years a liquid of an unnatural bluish-green colour has been intermittently flowing into the dam at the intersection of Rondebult and Yaldwyn Roads.
The Advertiser ran numerous articles about this suspected waste pumped into the dam which apparently raises serious ecological concerns.
It was was previously reported that the liquid was allegedly coming from a factory in Jet Park.
A concerned resident, Trevor Milne said he suspects that either a diesel or jet fuel spill is pumped into the dam which kills the flamingo’s.
Recently the same unnatural bluish-green colour was spotted again by motorists who alerted Ward 17 Clr Simon Lapping.
According to Lapping, when they lodged a complaint to the Department of Environmental Affairs last year, the inspectors tested the water and found that the waste flowing into the dam was nontoxic, and it was a colourant.
It was also found that after some few days it washes out.
Lapping said the bluish-green colour is roughly seen every six months.
“The issue here is that whoever is pumping the waste into the dam shouldn’t be doing that at all because it’s changing the colour of the water, and raises concerns.
“This creates confusion for the community because they tend to think it’s pollution, and it affects the environment,” Lapping said.
Lapping said whoever was responsible for this must find alternatives places to pump whatever they are pumping elsewhere.
He said the water from the dam flows through all the Benoni dams, to Blesbokspruit, ending up at Vaal Barrage, where Gauteng gets its drinking water.
It remains a mystery what exactly is changing the colour of the dam, or who could be the source of the problem.
- Response
A local company, which was suspected to be the source of the problem, and is known to Advertiser, rubbished claims they might be responsible for polluting the water.
According to the operations manager, who wished to remain anonymous, their company’s effluent is a red and orange, and that their tenants mainly manufacture organic pigments on their site.
“We do not pump waste into the mentioned dam. We have an effluent permit, and the effluent runs into the Ekurhuleni effluent treatment plant.
“We get charged for our effluent on a monthly basis; our effluent we release every month gets tested and it is compliant with government regulations.
“As a predominantly industrial area, there are many stormwater drains or sloots which run into the dam,” the operations manager said.
The company has invited the Advertiser to their site to prove how their operations work.
The Advertiser is still waiting for a response from the metro.
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