The Vaal River, stretching from Vaal Dam to the Barrage, has undergone ‘water flushing’ on approximately three occasions, but unfortunately, the Rietspruit did not receive any benefits from this process.

Flushing involves releasing a larger volume of water from the Vaal Dam with the specific purpose of cleansing the river. Maureen Stewart, a member of Save the Vaal, expresses concerns regarding sewage contamination in the Rietspruit and Loch Vaal, which eventually makes its way to the Barrage and further downstream towards Parys.

The primary source of this pollution appears to be the Rietspruit Waste Water Treatment Plant, which is currently managed by Rand Water, the implementing agent for the Minister of Water and Sanitation’s Vaal River Intervention Project. Recent water quality analyses conducted on the www. Reservoir website shows the dire state of these rivers. Maureen points out: “Since the date of sampling, water quality has significantly deteriorated.”
The presence of red worms in various locations along the Rietspruit confirms the excessive presence of raw sewage, posing a serious health risk, impacting agricultural irrigation, and contributing to yet another ecological disaster.
Maureen asked: “How can we hope to develop the Vaal economy and create jobs, especially within the labourintensive tourism industry, with a river in such a deplorable state?”