NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 236
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 04 JUNE 2010
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 15)
236. Mr D A Worth (DA-FS) to ask the Minister of Water and Environmental
Affairs:
(1) Whether any investigation will be made with regard to water
which enters the Free State river system at the Ash River outlet
from the Highlands Water Scheme; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details;
(2) whether the water is polluted by the towns along the rivers
before entering the Vaal Dam system; if not, what is the position
in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether any municipalities along the river system have violated
the regulations with regard to sewage into the river systems as at
latest date for which information is available; if not; what is
the position in this regard; if so, what systems are in place to
prevent such pollution of this water?
CW307E
---00O00---
REPLY:
(1) No, at present my Department does not deem it necessary to
conduct an investigation with regard to the water which enters the
Ash River system. My Department is however conducting monthly
water quality monitoring and the results do not indicate the
presence of pollution.
(2) None of the towns, with the exception of Bethlehem, are
discharging inferior quality effluent into the Vaal River system.
The Bethlehem wastewater treatment works which has capacity
challenges discharges into the Liebenbergsvlei and ultimately into
the Vaal River.
(3) All the municipalities with the exception of Dihlabeng, which
includes Bethlehem, are complying with acceptable effluent
discharge standards. The Dihlabeng Municipality has informed my
Department that they have budgeted an amount of R 8 million to
upgrade the infrastructure associated with the wastewater
treatment works.
---00O00---