Spraying of Glyphosate on Vaal’s water lettuce suspended

The spraying of Glyphosate in the Vaal River to control the spread of water lettuce and hyacinth, has been suspended, following public concern.

This was confirmed by Rand Water in an update to the public on the clearing of alien invasive plants at the Vaal River.

In a post on  their Facebook page Rand Water reported that  the Ministers of Water and Sanitation, Mr Senzo Mchunu, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy. has established a technical Task Team led by the Directors General and Chief Executive Officer of Rand Water,  following public concerns relating to the use of Glyphosate on the water lettuce in the Vaal River.

The task team has  now identified immediate short- and long-term interventions (with clear outcomes” to manage the situation, was said.

Immediate short-term interventions include the revision of the integrated control approach, which, inter alia, will assess the use of a herbicide that is registered with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

In the medium term, compliance and enforcement interventions will be intensified against the sources of pollution which are driving this situation.

In the long-term the Vaal River Catchment Strategy relating to invasive alien aquatic species will be reviewed in order to implement a strategy that will holistically address the situation, the ministers said.

In conclusion it was said the refurbishment of the Rietspruit, Sebokeng and Leeukuil Wastewater Treatment Works will be fast tracked to reduce pollution that is also contributing to the high eutrophication of the Vaal River System.

“As indicated above, multiple control strategies deployed simultaneously (biological, chemical, and manual removal of alien invasives) are currently under investigation by the Task Team since a sustainable solution is required to manage the situation.”