Indefinite sewage into dam

DENEYSVILLE. – Partially untreated effluent is still allowed to flow into the Vaal Dam. This is the belief of many residents here and abroad.
The plant of the Refengkgotso waste water treatment works has been deficient for years.
Save the Vaal Environment (SAVE) reports that most WWTWs on the Vaal Dam are not in working order.
This has been going on for years.
Now a project engineer says the waste water treatment works (WWTW) of the Refengkgotoso plant has to be emptied before it is cleaned.
Unfortunately this means a period of 12 to 18 months in which half-cleaned water will go into the Vaal Dam. This originates from Scientific Aquatic Services. Says environmentalist Kathy Manten: “The Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation (DWAS) needs to enforce the National Water Act.” She also believes the approximately 18 months of pollution allowed will spell a national disaster and flouts the Act. However, Metsimaholo spokesperson Dr Gino Alberts says the pumping of raw or partially treated effluent into the Vaal Dam cannot be. “No way can Metsimaholo sign off on something like this,” he says “Our Green Drop status should speak for itself. Pumping raw effluent into the Vaal Dam would constitute an inhumane and horrendous health hazard. About 12-million people are dependent on that water and no way would Metsimaholo expose them to it.” Alberts says Metsimaholo does not want to argue with the community and urges certain individuals to stop “misleading people” as their accusations are “impossible.” What is going into the dam is “treated” water.
It was admitted to Deneysville residents that no money is available for the upgrade of the plant as yet. Residents take this to mean that the upgrade is subject to the availability of funds. “The reality is that a 335-mm pipe is going to gush partially treated, stinking sewage into the Vaal Dam at a rate of up to 6-million litres a day. That is until they get funding to upgrade the waste water treatment works,” says the wife of a local politician.
“So what they’re really saying is that Metsimaholo wants permission to pump substandard water into our drinking water for an indefinite period until they have money to upgrade the works.
“Just because the law states that water must go back to its source, they would rather pollute the source and shoreline than find a more acceptable solution. They are not compliant with the law if they pump water that is not cleaned up to standard into the water source.” Concerned residents say they expect the DWAS to publicly announce what they are doing and planning in the area.