The province of Gauteng, the most urbanized in South Africa, is crossed by the Vaal, a river whose pollution exceeds the standards. In question, the wastewater that flows directly into the river for lack of sufficient treatment plants or in good condition. A threat to the environment and populations.
with our correspondent in Johannesburg, Roman Song
It’s greasy scum, green algae, and a very unpleasant sewage smell. “ Well, we can feel it there. It’s horrible. shows Darrel Robson from his car. This retired engineer lives on the edges of the dam. Darrel wants to show us the sewage that overflows into the surrounding fields: “ Looked ! It’s flowing through here under the road. »
This pollution is a threat to ecosystems, livestock, but also to the population. Some 19 million people depend on this river which provides drinking water for the entire province of Gauteng – which includes the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria – from the Vaal dam south of Johannesburg.
An old quarry is now filled with pestilential water. The water from these pools then flows towards the dam and contaminates the rest of the watercourse. “ First of all, it disturbs the fauna, the fishermen, the aquatic birds. Everything is polluted by a massive presence of E. coli bacteria in the dam, and it’s getting worse and worse. »
Disused wastewater treatment plants
The entire Vaal River is polluted due to the discharge of sewage from dilapidated or inoperative sewage treatment plants, the South African human rights commission concluded in a report published in 2021.
For Darrel Robson, the authorities do not take the measure of the problem. “ Without the Vaal Dam, the entire province of Gauteng, the economic hub of South Africa will disappear. And the authorities do not seem to understand the importance of this dam and the seriousness of the pollution which continues with their agreement. »
A wastewater treatment plant is under construction in Deneysville. Work started in 2017 has already been delayed three years.
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