Water issues continue along pipeline

Despite the municipality promising to give a closer look to water use problems near the pipeline leading from the Adatta reservoirs, this still continues.

The Herald reported last month that a group of people who are part of an informal farming project organized by the municipality’s LED (Local Economic Development) Section, are using mine water to irrigate their crops. The fact that they use possibly polluted mine water for this purpose might make their vegetables unsafe to eat. The mine water that they channel down the gravel road from the mine canal has also caused a hole in the road only metres from the pipeline.

According to the Carletonville ward councillor who was first made aware of the issue, Carlos Rebelo, a resident also informed him that water also seems to be leaking from lower down the pipeline as the ground there is wet.

When the Herald and Rebelo went to visit the site, the ground next to this part of the pipeline was indeed very muddy. It was, however, not sure who or what caused the water to spill onto the ground at this site. Rebelo speculated that it might be contractors filling up water trucks.

Meanwhile it was clear that the informal farmers were also still illegally channeling water from the mine canal. Not only was the ground on the gravel road still damp, but the wooden poles and other items they used to block the canal were still in exactly the same place as during the previous visit.

Even more troubling was that the hole on the ground next to the pipeline seemed to be getting bigger.

During both visits several of the informal farmers were busy attending to their vegetables, which have grown rapidly during the past month.

The Herald, once again, took the issues to the Merafong City Local Municipality.

“The municipality did not experience any water pipe spilling water from Adata reservoir. Monitoring will be done regularly to track if there might be any irregular activities around the reservoir infrastructure. The area was investigated with no luck to confront the farmers, Merafong Agriculture section was informed and an investigation was discussed to address the matter. The water is not suitable for human consumption,” answered their Marketing and Communications Manager, Temba Fezani.