The Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, is expected to visit dischargers of waste water into the Vaal River up to the Vaal Barrage, today.
An update from the Department, said he will meet with Gauteng and Free State municipalities primarily, to address water quality and the increase of invasive alien aquatic species in the Vaal River.
These municipalities are expected to present their plans to stop discharging waste water into the Vaal River.
The Upper Vaal River, particularly in the Barrage has been experiencing high growth levels of invasive plants (water lettuce mainly), because of poor water quality emanating from poorly treated or raw sewerage discharge into the basin.
The meeting with these Water Services Authorities was a recommendation from a Summit held earlier this year. The Summit presented reports on water quality in taps (Blue Drop), in water sources (Green Drop)
and “No Drop.”
No Drop Certification means that a water service authority has reached its water conservation and water demand management criteria.
According to the Department, the Green Drop Progress Assessment Report, indicates an increased risk in the performance of municipal wastewater treatment systems (WWTW).
As a result, waste water treatment works of Metsimaholo, Merafong, Rand West, Mafube, Ngwathe Local Municipalities were found to be in a critical state.
The WWTW in Emfuleni Local Municipality was found to be in poor condition, and City of Johannesburg, Lesedi and Midvaal Local Municipalities were found to be average.
Last year, an non profit organization, Save the Vaal Environment, won a court order against Minister Mchunu, to stop Vaal River sewage pollution.
In February this year, Rand Water released weevils and hoppers into the river, in a bid to temporarily halt the rapid spread of water lettuce.
Picture: Judi Krige