UPDATE: Lonehill Dam still in a bad state
LONEHILL – Ward 94 councillor, David Foley still raises concerns regarding the soil erosion of Lonehill Dam.
The Fourways Review reported on the deteriorating state of Lonehill Dam, Week ending 16 February.
This is not on the Johannesburg Roads Agency‘s (JRA) priority list as it has a limited budget for dams and watercourses city-wide.
According to JRA spokesperson, Bertha Peters-Scheepers, the dam was registered on the City of Johannesburg Priority List, however, it has a low priority rating. “The soil erosion at Lonehill Dam is not threatening to life or property currently and therefore the dam is not on the JRA’s priority list for remedial works at this stage.”
She explained that they had a limited budget to effect repairs on a number of dams and watercourses city-wide and priority is given to those areas where lives and/or properties are endangered.
“The prioritised list is re-evaluated annually based on available budget and heavy flooding or other conditions which may alter the integrity of the dam structure or watercourse.”
Ward 94 councillor, David Foley, who previously commented on the state of the dam in the newspaper’s previous edition, stated that he saw no improvement on the dam. “The current weed is starting to grow aggressively again after various attempts to remove it. The entire ecosystem needs a revamp and this will happen in conjunction with City Parks and Joburg Water as they play a major role here,” he said.
“The various sewage overflowing in the area has ended up in the streams and into the dam. The sewerage system will be rerouted to reduce blockages as soon as a mobile high-pressure water-jetting machine is available.”
Foley concluded that environmental health representatives have traced various sources of chemicals and explained that it was coming into the dam from the carwash in the basement parking of the Lonehill Shopping Centre. “I believe that City Parks would need to have a budget allocated for the rehabilitation of the dam to improve the quality of the water and reduce the weed.”
How do you feel about the state of the dam? Share your views in the comments below or on Twitter @Fourways_Review
Also check out:
Soil erosion a problem in Lonehill, says Ward 94 councillor, David Foley
https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/282252/water-wednesday-pricing-revisited-combat-water-wastage/
