Cyanobacteria

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 &…

Sheree Bega

1 min read

Highly polluted reservoirs in Gauteng and the North West, including Hartbeespoort Dam, should be fenced off because of the health risks they pose to people and animals from blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. Photo: Getty Images

BILL HARDING

15 FEB 2024

Seal off polluted dams to protect public health, says water expert

About 80% of the country’s dams are so enriched with nutrients they could produce toxic algal blooms

Sheree Bega

8 min read

Artificial lakes like Hartbeespoort must be treated and managed as semi-natural lake ecosystems to keep them healthy and support demands made on them such as raw potable water and recreational use. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

BILL HARDING

13 NOV 2023

SA rivers, dams, used as waste disposal systems, says ecologist

The nutrient enrichment problem can’t be solved unless appropriate levels of wastewater treatment are applied

Sheree Bega

6 min read

Superspreader: Workers have been contracted to remove the hyacinth in the dam, but it’s too little, too late, as the coverage area can double every week. (Andy Mkosi)

BIO CONTROL

20 NOV 2021

South African rowing in peril as Roodeplaat dam gets choked by plant colonies

Poorly treated wastewater in Tshwane is to blame for the water hyacinth and cyanobacteria colonies

Sheree Bega

10 min read

Plastic and other waste pollution along the Hennops River. The sewage pollution of the river affects the water quality of the Rietvlei and Hartbeespoort dams. File photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

CITY OF EKURHULENI

20 JUN 2021

There is shit in the Hennops River: ‘No way you can call this water’

E.Coli counts in tributaries feeding the Hennops River run into tens of millions, far above the permitted limit

Sheree Bega

7 min read