Desalination plant proposal remains in the pipeline
The meeting is being held to discuss the proposal for a desalination plant on the Bluff.
A PUBLIC meeting is being held this Wednesday, 17 May in Wentworth to discuss the proposal for a desalination plant to be built on the Bluff.
There are a number of possible locations for the desalination plant, which includes the Bluff’s waste water treatment works site.
This proposal made headlines in December with many objecting against its siting on the Bluff.
The people most likely to be harshly affected by this proposed development, according to the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance’s Shanice Gomes are the subsistence fishermen.
“Fishing spots along Durban’s coastline have been seized from the KwaZulu-Natal Subsistence Fishermen’s Forum (KZNSFF), a forum with more than 12,000 registered fisher folk from around Durban.
With South Africa’s unemployment statistics currently peaking at 26.5 per cent, unemployed fisher folk eke out a livelihood from the ocean as this progressively becomes the only source of income existing for many deprived families,” said Gomes.
She added that these fishermen had greatly reduced areas to ply their trade over the years with the remaining zones becoming increasingly hazardous. And now, with the proposed desalination plant for the Bluff, these fishermen face further restrictions.
She said the west of South Durban is the safest area to fish and provides boat access for some fishermen.
“South Africa is experiencing a severe drought like many countries around the world. As a result the desalination method has been selected to satisfy the collective thirst, consequently destroying the environment. The process of desalination uses more fossil fuels than when sourcing comparable quantities of clean drinking water,” added Gomes.
The desalination procedure entails two pipelines: One to be utilised to take in sea water and the other to discard waste back into the sea. The intake pipeline emits penetrating sound waves that cause marine life to flee from that vicinity as it vacuums up phytoplankton, fish larvae, fish eggs and other micro-organisms, which play an intricate role in the food chain, according to SDCEA.
Once this water is converted, twice as much salty sludge is produced and disposed through the sea outfall. This salty sludge, formally known as brine, potentially affects coastal water quality, interrupts the water cycle, disrupts ocean biodiversity and causes the disappearance of many fish species.
Combined with the impact of over-utilisation by illegal foreign fishing trawlers and internationally dwindling fish stocks due to climate change and pollution; the livelihoods of some 12,000 families across Durban are at risk.
The KZNSFF have been working with SDCEA to ensure that the Durban Port is recognised as a resource that belongs to all people, not just for commercial interests only.
The meeting will be held at the Austerville community hall from 5.30pm to 8pm.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp, send an invite to 061-876-3179
The Southlands Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031-903-2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
