Magalies Water asked the public to remain calm after a video of hyacinth being pushed through a sluice gate at the Hartbeespoort Dam wall went viral on social media this week.
Concerns were raised that the hyacinth would be dumped from the dam wall into the Crocodile River and spread to other dams. Farmers who irrigate from the river also expressed their concerns.
Magalies Water, appointed by the Department of Water and Sanitation as implementing agent for the Hartbeespoort Dam remediation project, said in a statement that measures are in place to prevent the hyacinth and debris spilling into the Crocodile River. “Magalies Water has noted with concern circulating videos and photographs on social media platforms, of hyacinth being removed from the Hartbeespoort Dam near the sluice gates. The waste materials, which have been offloaded from the harvesters at the dam wall, are being prepared for removal to the waste beneficiation site, where is it later used as fertiliser and compost for agricultural purposes,” said spokesperson David Magae.
“The plants and debris collected from the dam are not allowed to spill over the dam wall or flow into the Crocodile River. Through a water-tight risk management plan specifically developed for current operations, Magalies Water guarantees that no floating plant material or debris can escape and flow downstream. The floating plants and debris are securely stockpiled on the dam wall before being transported to the beneficiation site.”
Hya Matla Organics has been appointed by Magalies Water for the removal of floating plants and debris from the dam and its shoreline. Magae said the company had developed a robust operational philosophy for managing the hyacinth. “This includes a controlled and managed spillover process utilising mechanical harvesters, nets, cables, and floating barriers (noodles) through selected sluice gates.” The collected material is then stockpiled at the foot of the dam wall where there is no water flow, allowing it to dry out for easier transportation for processing and recycling.
“Our approach integrates manual, mechanical, and biological control methods. Our operations are meticulously designed to be environmentally sustainable, minimising negative impacts on the surrounding environment. The transportation and processing of harvested materials is carefully managed to ensure that no contaminants are re-introduced into the ecosystem.”
Magae said that Magalies Water has implemented a comprehensive turnaround strategy guided by ten critical, needs-based objectives designed to restore and maintain the health of Hartbeespoort Dam. These objectives include management of alien invasive species, water quality monitoring and remediation, curbing nutrient loading at the source and an integrated water resource management plan, among others.
“Significant progress has been made and detailed findings will be presented in the upcoming peer-reviewed technical report and the annual report, scheduled for publication in November 2024.”