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Gauteng residents collecting water from a tanker. File photo

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

About seven billion litres of sewage are released every day into rivers and dams. (Andy Mkosi)

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 &…

In early February, AfriForum, together with several other organisations, businesses and community members, removed more than 1 623 tonnes of water lettuce from the Vaal River. Photo: AfriForum

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

Drop: Joburg Water cannot ensure residents have a regular supply. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

The water crisis in Gauteng’s three metros looks set to deepen

Causes are a growing population, ageing infrastructure, poor governance and leaks

File: Untreated sewage flows into Durban harbour after pumps at the Mahatma Gandhi Road treatment plant broke. Photo by Rogan Ward

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.

Degradation: Acid mine drainage (AMD) flows out of the Western mining basin on 12 April.  Photos: Trevor Brough

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

File photo by Delwyn Verasamy)

‘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

Impofu Dam. (File photo)

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

Stage two water restrictions were introduced in Joburg this week but these will only be effective if they are enforced as they were in Cape Town during their Day Zero period. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

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

Water treatment plants, along with hospitals, harbours, railways and other critical infrastructure are supposed to be exempted from load-shedding in terms of national state of disaster regulations promulgated last month. (Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

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

Service failure: A woman in the Free State, collects water from a pool used to store water. The revival of the drop programmes will enable the R1-trillion rebuild of the water sector in South Africa. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

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

Mine water has polluted the Klipspruit. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

Acid mine water a rising threat

About 360 tonnes of salts are dissolved in the Vaal River system every day

In many regions, human–water systems are already in a post-crisis state of failure. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

A South African solution for better drinking water

Solar-powered purifier removes bad taste and smells from wastewater

Everyone in South Africa lives downstream from a sewage discharge point into their drinking water supply, which is why the Blue and Green Drop reports are so important. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

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

How to keep SA’s head above water

Skills shortages are hampering the government’s multibillion-rand infrastructure roll-out plan, writes <b>Lloyd Gedye</b>

Fracking opens deep divisions

Fracking in the Karoo has opened up deep divisions despite the government’s moratorium on all prospecting, pending an investigation into its impact.

Turton, CSIR cut ties

Suspended water researcher Anthony Turton is no longer employed at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, the two parties said on Monday.

A harbinger of doom?

According to a researcher from the CSIR, poor water quality threatens our health and may also derail economic growth.

Sanef calls for lifting of Turton’s suspension

The suspension of water researcher Anthony Turton must be lifted immediately, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Thursday.

FXI offers to help Turton

The FXI has offered to assist suspended water researcher Dr Anthony Turton should he be summoned to a disciplinary hearing.