Anthony Turton
latest news & developments
Our water crisis is and has always been about political will
In Gauteng, the single biggest issue right now is water scarcity. In KZN, it is scarcity and the pollution of river systems
SA’s rivers and dams can no longer recover from pollution, say water scientists
About seven billion litres of sewage are released every day into rivers and dams This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail &…
Sewage crisis means Vaal water lettuce is here to stay
Desperate residents have removed the alien plant by hand, but a scientist says this is like treating a brain tumour with Panado
The water crisis in Gauteng’s three metros looks set to deepen
Causes are a growing population, ageing infrastructure, poor governance and leaks
Water quality reports are ‘hard proof’ of ANC’s inability to improve performance
In April last year, the department’s Green Drop report identified 334 wastewater systems in a critical condition in 90 municipalities.
Witwatersrand goldfield acid mine drainage ‘with us for millennia’
Quick fixes are inadequate to prevent damage from gold mining’s legacy, but the long-term plan of treating AMD could relieve water shortages
‘Gargantuan’ amount of sewage flowing from Joburg pump station
Zandspruit pump is a mess, says Joburg resident, citing load-shedding, lack of maintenance, high effluent volumes and poor infrastructure
Nelson Mandela Bay metro ‘failed to act on water crisis’
The dam levels have been low for years, the canal transferring water from the Orange River Project to the storage dam was not repaired and the metro rejected help from the state
Nelson Mandela Bay is on the brink of Day Zero and faces humanitarian disaster
Just a few weeks left until taps run dry in large parts of the metropolitan
SA’s dismal state of wastewater management
The Green Drop 2022 report, the first since 2013, reflects a serious deterioration in the management of wastewater treatment plants
Water sector to clean up its act
The Blue and Green Drop programmes are being relaunched to rebuild SA’s often poorly maintained and ‘looted’ water systems
Acid mine water a rising threat
About 360 tonnes of salts are dissolved in the Vaal River system every day
South Africa will miss UN’s clean water targets
Mismanagement, pollution and a water deficit exacerbated by climate change are to blame
A South African solution for better drinking water
Solar-powered purifier removes bad taste and smells from wastewater
Why we need the Blue and Green Drop reports: ‘Everyone in SA lives downstream from a sewage discharge point’
The last reports were in 2014 but were stopped probably because the results were too shocking to be publicised, water experts say