The text discusses the Emfuleni water crisis and the government's plan to fix the ailing infrastructure and reduce water losses by 70%. However, experts have criticized the plan as ill-thought out and potentially damaging to the economy.
Emfuleni’s water crisis: Government’s plan to fix ailing infrastructure and slash 70% water losses and groundwater extraction by the department of water and sanitation, others have said they are ill-thought out and could be damaging to the economy.
John Weaver, a consulting hydrogeologist with some 50 years of experience, who is also chair of South African National Bottled Water Association (Sanbwa), said the ‘rather ridiculous’ proposals had elicited ‘an enormous negative response’ from the experts. Weaver said, in his personal capacity, he had submitted a rebuttal regarding one specific point.
‘This point says no borehole will be allowed within 500 metres of a ‘critical vegetation biome’ as declared by Sanbi . I have cited over 100 boreholes in the Western Cape that would fall,’ he said. To export fruit orchards and vineyards. The orchards are usually located on shales of the Bokkeveld formation and the boreholes are located close to or in the more rugged terrain of the Table Mountain sandstones, and thus in Fynbos Biome.
‘Closing these boreholes and many hundreds of other similar boreholes previously approved by department effectively means 300 000 to 500 000 people losing their jobs. ’ Weaver added: ‘This small section within the proposed legislation has been written by someone with their heads in the clouds and without practical experience. ’ He also addressed the issue of where extraction by suburban borehole owners would impact aquifers: ‘A borehole within the suburban environment used for garden watering uses very little water.
To require such a borehole to be pump-tested is a ridiculous waste of money and is further demonstration of the impracticality and ridiculousness of this proposed legislation. ’ Sanbwa CEO Charlotte Metcalf added: ‘SA groundwater is a precious resource and should be protected and monitored – which is already the case with commercial use. Sanbwa members adhere to all legislation required for the protection and sustainability of groundwater sources.
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