Water care entity necessary to tackle waste water treatment plant woes

The creation of a national water care entity and even the declaration of a national disaster are two possible solutions the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has offered to tackle sewage pollution at the Tshwane metro’s rivers and the Roodeplaat dam.

This was according to a report released by the commission on Tuesday.

It follows an inquiry by the SAHRC’s Gauteng office into the state of wastewater treatment works under the Tshwane metro’s jurisdiction launched in February.

The inquiry was held specifically at the Roodeplaat dam.

“A national water care entity could be a viable and effective response to the challenges,” SAHRC commissioner Jonas Ben Sibanyoni said.

“[It would provide] a central point, expertise and integration for the proper management of wastewater services in the country”.

Sibanyoni said the challenges faced currently appeared “throughout the value chain in the current design from the various national departments through to local government entities”.

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“The purpose of the entity would be to ensure the persistent issues surrounding wastewater treatment plants in the country were holistically addressed.”

Sibanyoni said the primary focus of such an entity would be to plan remedial actions.

“Such a mechanism would contribute vastly to better planning, a synergy between organs of state and local government including in respect of budgeting.

“Apart from sustainability, and long-term gains, the initiatives and opportunities would create employment opportunities, strengthen South Africa’s skills on wastewater management, create new secondary industries to harness existing industries in wastewater management and coordinate research and development in the wastewater management sphere.”

Other recommendations made in the report included:

– National government intervening in the running the of Tshwane metro’s wastewater treatment facilities;

– Holding accountable the municipal managers who were in place during the deterioration of the metro’s wastewater treatment works facilities through permissible legislation and criminal prosecution; and

– Declaring a national disaster, under the disaster management act, as a result of the “failing” wastewater treatment works.

The findings in the report confirmed that the wastewater treatment works in the Tshwane metro were malfunctioning.

Freshwater sources were indeed being polluted with untreated and partially treated sewage and sludge, it said.

These fresh water sources are the Apies, Tolwane, Pienaar and Hennops rivers along with the Roodeplaat and Leeukraal dams.

“The effects of the pollution on the water, its eco-systems and the people who use the water has been devastating,” Sibanyoni said.

“Fauna and flora are dying or growing at an unhealthy rate, further polluting the water. People and animals who drink the water are vulnerable to illnesses such as bilharzia, cholera and hepatitis.”

He said that such exposure left the most vulnerable – the elderly, children and those who were ill – at even more risk of adverse health conditions.

However, he noted that while consumption of polluted water had been taking for a lengthy period, the long term effects of such exposure on health remained undocumented.

“The primary reason for the unacceptable levels of pollution is the failure to manage and maintain existing wastewater treatment works in the metro over a prolonged period.”

He said the unmaintained wastewater treatment works and the shortage thereof violated section 24 of the constitution and other constitutional and legislative regional and international laws and standards.

Earlier this month, mayor Randall Williams attended an engagement with the ministry of the water and sanitation department and mayors from other municipalities to brief minister Senzo Mchunu on the challenges municipalities faced in the Gauteng province.

In the engagement, Williams highlighted the state of the metro’s water and sanitation infrastructure and the critical need for more capital so they could accelerate the programme for infrastructure maintenance and renewal.

The key projects, he noted, included the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant.

Previously, Williams reassured residents that they were working to address the pollution in the Pienaars river and Roodeplaat dam, adding that they were also sensitive to the serious issues the pollution posed to businesses and residents in the adjacent areas.

He said they were actively working on addressing the issue and that it should be solved through the recommissioning of the Bavianspoort wastewater treatment works.

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