The Department of Water and Sanitation says much progress has been made, to rehabilitate the hyacinth and algae prone Hartbeespoort Dam in Brits, North West. The Department appointed Magalies Water Board as its implementing agency to remove the floating plants that has negatively impacted on the dam’s water quality.The floating plants have caused damage to the dam and caused the death of thousands of fish.The Department’s Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo visited the Dam today to assess the progress made in addressing the challenge. “Just about two years ago, Magalies Water was appointed as a contractor to particularly undertake the remediation process of the Hartbeespoort Dam.They had to appoint the other service provider which made the presentation today, to help eradicate the plant,” said SeitlholoHe said several stakeholders involved in the project, are doing the best they can and anticipated to ramp up all efforts to deal with the plant.“The fundamental issue here is largely about the pollution of the Hartbeespoort Dam from upstream by the municipalities such as Rand West municipality, Mogale City, Tshwane as well Ekurhuleni.So, there’s an incredible amount of raw sewerage and other pollutants that are going through upstream, downstream to Harties through the Crocodile River.They’re fundamentally causing a very big problem of an increase in the growth of the hyacinth which of course is extremely dangerous for biodiversity within that Dam,” explained SeitlholoThe Department has acknowledged that the plant will not be permanently removed but can be contained and the quality of water restored without affecting fish and other living species underneath the Dam.The water pollution has negatively affected tourism in the area, as the water plants make it difficult for tourists to utilise the dam to the best of its ability.The Deputy Minister has also met with different stakeholders and the Madibeng Local Municipality to ensure a commitment to resolve water quality challenges at the dam, particularly on issues of pollution because of solid waste and the municipality’s wastewater.
