Residents around Hartbeespoort Dam have embarked on private initiatives to clean up the Hartbeespoort Dam.

The past weekend a number of families living on the shore of the dam pitched in and removed some of the unsightly plastic and debris from the water.

“Someone else will do it? Be the someone else,” said Julie Lundt who went out on her canoe and collected big bags full of plastic and other material from the dam. “I ask all my fellow water-users to join me in picking up plastic and rubbish along the banks of our once beautiful dam, and help save the lives of the birds and creatures that live in and around water, as well as the fragile ecosystems they call home. If everyone picks up a little, collectively we’ll pick up a lot.”

Three families at The Coves Estate also braved the cold and wind on Sunday to do their bit in cleaning up the dam shore. Stefanie Ash, Yo and Gabby-Leigh Tapson, and Suzanne, Kevin, Robert (10) and Thomas (4) Zoellner joined forces, armed with rakes and forks, to pluck four wheelie bins full of litter from the dam. “And that was only what we could reach from the jetties at The Coves Estate. Thanks also to the Coves staff members, and even the gentleman of the local estate tuck-shop who couldn’t just stand and watch and quickly asked how they could help,” said Stefanie.

“Four bins of rubbish might not be a lot, but it is a lot better than nothing! Every tiny bit helps! If you haven’t been out there yet to see why we are doing this, take a walk down to your local waterfront and see for yourself. Pick just three pieces from the water each time you walk past there and together we’ll slowly start making a difference.”