R600 million committed to the long term permanent solution for AMD challenge
The Department of Water and Sanitation on Wednesday, 18 May 2016, announced that R600 million per annum through the National Treasury will be committed to dealing with Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) challenge.
The announcement was made at the South West Vertical Shaft, Central Basin in Germiston, where the department together with the implementing agent, Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) was gathered to host members of the media and other industry experts.
This solution Minister Mokonyane said “promises simultaneously to augment water supply to the nation’s economic hub of Gauging region. This long term intervention will therefore turn the AMD problem into a long term sustainable solution by producing fully treated water that will significantly increase water supply to the Vaal River System an defer the need for further costly augmentation beyond phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project for at least another 30 years.”
“The pinnacle of this approach is that a polluted resource once considered with contempt, now becomes a commodity contributing to security of the availability of water resources in the Vaal River System” added the Minister.
With the support of the National Treasury the department has decided to cap the contributions of the water users to the cost of dealing with the problem to only 33% of the project cost. The intention of Government is to recover the balance of 67% from the mines through the proposed environmental levy.
In the interim however, prior to the implementation of the policy and associated consultations government will cover the anticipated recoveries from the mining sector.
Almost 1000 short and long term jobs have been created through this long term solution which started operating in 2014.
In her concluding remarks Minister said “let South Africa celebrate that we have found your own home-made and homegrown solution towards this challenge so that we can be seen as a country that is forward looking.
For more information contact:
Sputnik Ratau
Cell: 082 874 2942
