Nawaal Deane
In a desperate attempt to get rid of the worst outbreak of algae in 20 years, Hartebeespoort Dam residents have come up with an innovative solution: a floating bulldozer.
In February a few residents ó tired of the stench and the complaints ó formed the Water Action Group in an attempt to clean up the blue-green scum that has formed on the dam.
“We called it an action group and not a committee because we want to take action and not just talk,” says chair Garry MacKay.
They were spurred on by residents’ complaints about the pollution of the dam and the lack of involvement of the government. Concerns were raised that resorts along the west end of the dam would lose business because of the smell, which was like vegetables rotting in the hot sun. Resorts put up warning signs to stop people from swimming in the dam, but in some areas even boats could not get through.
An article published in the local newspaper last month claimed the Hartebeespoort Local Council had played an active part in the pollution of the dam. A long-time resident was reported to have seen raw sewage and toilet paper pouring into the dam from a burst sewerage pipe. It was also argued that water entering the dam from three rivers was already polluted.
However, officials from the provincial Department of Water Affairs attribute the outbreak to a hot summer with little rain and many years of pollution that has not been monitored.
This cut no ice with residents, who called on the group to take the department to court, claiming the government is responsible for the sad state of the dam. But MacKay says: “Our first priority is to clean up the dam and we cannot wait for the government to take action. Instead of pointing fingers we decided to implement a short-term plan.”
The group brainstormed various innovative methods to remove the algae, from importing ultrasound machines that could kill it to taking off the scum with a skimming machine. However, these methods proved too expensive and the group went back to the drawing board.
One of the farmers suggested “bulldozing” the algae off the dam on to the dry land. They contracted resident Andrew McLaren, who has worked for the Department of Water Affairs and now runs his own water purification company. The concept was simple: McLaren tied a long fence on to the front of a barge and voila, one bulldozer barge was created.
The bulldozer was a huge success, to the delight of MacKay and residents on the west side of the dam, which has been cleared.
“The progress we have made is phenomenal,” says MacKay. “Last week this entire area was covered with the most foul-smelling algae.”
But the solution is a short-term one. MacKay says it is difficult to monitor polluted water coming into the dam from the Crocodile, Jukskei and the Leeuspruit rivers. He says there are areas where high levels of phosphates are unlaw- fully released into the dam and this needs to be monitored.
“We need to get the information from the government on all points so we can monitor who is dumping unlawfully and then take action.”
MacKay maintains that cooperation with the government is far better than taking it to court.
The Department of Water Affairs has acknowledged the serious pollution problem at the dam and is pleased with the action group’s success.
“We give our full support to the efforts of the water action group,” says Petrus Venter, deputy regional director for water affairs in the North West region.
Venter says long-term management plans are in place where the dam will be monitored by a body called Caption Management Agencies. “With these structures in place and the assistance of communities the dam can be effectively monitored and managed in the long term.”