Challenges relating to Acid Mine Drainage Good progress was made with the progress to the challenge of acid mine drainage in the Witwatersrand area. Since the inception of the Inter Ministerial Committee on Acid Mine Drainage, the immediate solution in the Western Basin was completed and commissioned in June 2012, and the uncontrolled decant of Acid Mine Drainage in the Western Basin effectively stopped in August 2012. The Department is currently busy with the construction of a pump station and a new water treatment plant in the Central Basin and is on target to ensure that pumping commences before the Environmental Critical Level is breached.