SEDIBENG. – The Organisations’ Vice Chairperson, Maureen Stewart, said that the Vaal Dam is currently being turned into a sewerage settlement dam and that the Metsimaholo Local Municipality is insistent on constructing a 1200mm diameter effluent pipe running from the Refengkgotso/Deneysville sewer treatment works into the Vaal Dam and surrounding rivers.
The municipality encompasses Sasolburg, Deneysville and the Oranjeville. The major towns within the municipality include Sasolburg, Zamdela, Deneysville, Refengkgotso, Oranjeville, Metsimaholo, Viljoensdrif and Coalbrook. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Stewart said that the Vaal Dam and the surrounding rivers are well known sources of Gauteng and surrounding towns’ drinking water.
“Currently 6 million litres per day of raw sewerage is being dumped into the Vaal Dam. This is being done by the authorities dumping the raw sewerage onto farmlands which makes its way to the Vaal Dam and the surrounding rivers. There are alternative solutions to the management of this sewerage which have been brought to the authority’s attention.We have to rely on history which has shown us that the municipality has not in the past been able to maintain its infrastructure.”
The Executive Mayor of Metsimaholo was set to address community members at the Deneysville Aquatic Club (DAC) on Tuesday where Stewart believed that they would be asked to believe that the waste will have been treated (when pumped into the Vaal Dam).
At the time of going to print Sedibeng Ster was not aware of the outcome of the meeting.
