STATE OF WATER POLLUTION |
INTRODUCTION
This refers to the current status of the system or resource, in terms of quality of the environment, and quantity and quality of natural resources. Jukskei Catchment Monitoring Points 1995 STATE OF THE JUKSKEI RIVER: A study done in 1995 by BKS Engineering and DWAF evaluated the water quality of the Jukskei in terms of all its users and according to each sub-catchment (refer to water quality indicators and pressures ) (Jukskei Catchment, 1996). The following gives a summary of the analysis done.
CURRENT STATUS OF THE JUKSKEI CATCHMENT Surface water running through the Eastern Metropolitan Local Council area, especially in the vicinity of Alexandra, shows:
CURRENT STATUS OF THE KLIP RIVER CATCHMENT The water quality of rivers in Greater Soweto (Southern Metropolitan Local Council) shows:
CURRENT STATUS OF THE JUKSKEI AND KLIP RIVER CATCHMENTS Bacterial Content - Informal settlements, high density residential areas, sewage systems, overflowing of blocked sewers, landfill sites Bad - segments through Alexandra; above the Johannesburg CBD; in informal settlements; urbanised and densely populated areas Klip River Catchment Bad / unacceptable - around Soweto, Katorus, Eldorado Park and all informal settlements, most densely populated areas, and the sewage plant south east of Soweto Recommendations Both main tributaries are of unacceptable bacterial content due to polluted water meeting at downstream points. Soweto, Alexandra, Johannesburg CBD and informal settlements are in need of improved sanitation provision and maintenance E Coli - Townships, informal settlements, landfill sites, sewage plants, urban runoff Jukskei Catchment Bad - Upper Jukskei, DWJ11, DWJ12 from Alexandra, DWJ22 from Kya Sand Landfill site, DWJ14, DWJ15, Athol and Wynberg stormwater, EC5 at cnr Empire and Barry Hertzog, and ZL from the zoo and stormwater Klip River Catchment Bad - GV1 Glenvista, H4 at Harringtonspruit, KR10 from Soweto and Lenasia and informal settlements KR2, KR12, SIA8 /9 from Soweto, Olifantsdam, Moroka areas Recommendations Improvements required to sanitation provision, maintenance and monitoring. Informal settlements sanitation - Chemical toilets leaking into rivers, pit latrines or no sanitation, sewage works Jukskei Catchment Unacceptable - chemical toilets in northern Jukskei settlements, Bad (no sanitation) / unacceptable - in Alexandra Klip River Catchment Mostly bad and unacceptable around Johannesburg CBD, west of Roodepoort, Soweto, Lenasia, Ennerdale and Orange Farm Recommendations Improved sanitation provision and control over chemical toilets and other sanitation facilities, control over sewage works. Informal settlements - Bad water, may mean unmanaged sewage and waste which leads to dumping in rivers Jukskei Catchment Mostly acceptable. Unacceptable - water in Alexandra Klip River Catchment Bad - untreated water outside Kagiso, Witpoortjie / Matholeville settlements west and south of Roodepoort Unacceptable – water outside Protea settlements Soweto, and in Johannesburg CBD Recommendations Better services will mean less pollution and will reduce health risk and diseases in settlements Chemical Content - High phosphates, ammonia and COD shows probable blocked sewers in vicinity together with industrial pollution Jukskei Catchment Mainly ideal – acceptable Unacceptable - above Alexandra from industrial area (high phosphates, COD, ammonia); in Braamfontein Spruit (high phosphates, COD, ammonia, turbidity, pH) Klip River Catchment Bad / unacceptable - from Soweto running south east (high phosphates, COD, ammonia) Recommendations Improved control and enforcement over industrial and mining pollution, and checking of sewers pH - Sewage, mining, industries Jukskei Catchment Mostly ideal (6,5-8,5). Bad acidic <6,5 at KJ2 due to industrial pollution upstream of Kya Sands landfill site. Bad alkaline >8,5 S4 upstream from Sandton and to the east of Alexandra which is an area of bad E.coli and bacterial values, and may be due to sewage pollution. Klip River Catchment Bad - acidic pH south of Johannesburg CBD and Roodepoort due to mining pollution (high sulphates and slimes dam leachate from Durban Roodepoort Deep and Main Reef mines), the large industrial areas situated here, as well as vehicle emissions. Acidic south west of Roodepoort at Chamdor industrial area . Alkaline SIA13 west of Soweto and sewage pollution from bad sanitation pollution in the settlements. Recommendations Seepage from mines and slimes dams, as well as of industrial effluent, needs to be better controlled. Improved sanitation provision is also required. Phosphates - Informal settlements, bad sanitation, waste, agriculture Jukskei Catchment Mostly ideal. Bad - (>0,6 mg/l) at DWJ11,12 from sewage overflow of Alexandra into the upper Jukskei. Bad - DWJ29 in the northern Jukskei from informal settlements or fertilizers from agricultural areas. Bad - in BS2 (Blesbokspruit) at Westdene from Johannesburg CBD or unmanaged waste. Klip River Catchment Bad - south west of Roodepoort near Davidsonville /Kagiso below the Princess dam due to industries / sewage and inadequate sanitation Bad - around Soweto KR12 – Klip River in Moroka area due to large informal settlements; H1,2 in the Harringtonspruit, Eldorado Park, near Goudkoppies landfill site and big sewage works; KR5,6 shows the impact of the Bushkoppies landfill site and Eikenhof cultivated lands. Recommendations High algal growth potential will lead to eutrophication of dams and will kill aquatic ecosystems by using up all oxygen. High phosphate levels must be treated, sewers must be cleaned, and better sanitation provided. Nitrate / Nitrite, sewage pollution, fertilizers, burning of fossil fuels Jukskei Catchment Mostly ideal to good. Bad - outside GJMC boundary in Modderfontein Spruit DWJ04, 24, 34 from Midrand area, and DWJ37 area due to two hospitals Klip River Catchment All ideal to good Recommendations Maintain in order to minimise algal growth Ammonia - Informal settlements, bad sanitation, industries, urban runoff Jukskei Catchment Bad - north of Alexandra DWJ11,12 where bad sanitation has been reported. Klip River Catchment Bad to unacceptable - around Johannesburg CBD industrial area, Rosherville, Denver, Booysens, City Deep, Moroka in Soweto, Olifantsvlei and Protea areas in Soweto Recommendations Better sanitation provision and maintenance Conductivity - Mining and industrial effluent Jukskei Catchment All ideal to acceptable. Klip River Catchment Ideal - at SIN1,2 (Skinner dam) before impact of Roodepoort mining area and Roodepoort West industries. Princess dam and downstream area show bad EC (>450 ms/m) due to the large amounts of sulphate especially from the Durban Roodepoort Deep mine. Recommendations Monitoring of slimes dam and mine leachate Turbidity - Mining, construction sites, Landfill sites and Sand quarries Jukskei Catchment Mainly good. High turbidity - at KJ 2,3 north west of Randburg from erosion of uncultivated land. High - at Zoo Lake, Emmarentia Dam and Westdene Dam. Klip River Catchment Mainly ideal to good. Bad - south west of Roodepoort KR14 in the vicinity of various slimes dams from where wind blown particles may land in rivers. Recommendations Plant grass on slimes dams. Plant grass, trees on all exposed soil areas, better control over land development sites Sulphates - Mining Jukskei Catchment All ideal <200 mg/l Klip River Catchment KR14 shows runoff from Durban Roodepoort Deep gold mine where level are in excess of 600mg/l. PIN1 shows the impact of mining activity and the Roodepoort West industrial area on Princess dam where levels are bad after being ideal at Skinner dam just upstream. Also bad - below Johannesburg CBD RP1,2, NS2 (Unigray), RP3 (Regetta Park) in the vicinity of diffuse pollution from slimes dam leachate and the Main Reef Consolidated Gold mine Recommendations Treat and monitor slimes dam leachate (COD) Chemical oxygen demand - Bad sanitation, sewage works Jukskei Catchment Coincides with high phosphates, E.coli and ammonia from Alexandra DWJ11 Also bad at Zoo Lake where high turbidity and phosphates occur. Klip River Catchment Coincides with high phosphates, E.coli, and ammonia at Moroka in Soweto, below Johannesburg CBD, and south of Roodepoort Recommendations Monitor sewage effluent Suspended Solids - Wind over exposed soil, landfill sites Jukskei Catchment Very little information available. Bad / unacceptable - J5,7 where wind erosion over exposed grasslands and uncultivated land may be the cause. Klip River Catchment Bad / unacceptable - at KR4,5 , H4 in Harringtonspruit downstream of Bushkoppies landfill site, and close to Eikenhof and agricultural holdings Recommendations Grass cover over exposed land Industrial effluent pH - Bad law enforcement on industries Jukskei Catchment Bad - acidic < 6,5 - DWJ21 Strijdom Park industrial area into Little Jukskei -BS8 Braamfontein Spruit in Parkhurst may be due to vehicle emissions and urban runoff -DWJ10, 14, 15 Alexandra industrial area Bad alkaline near Braamfontein Spruit may be due to metal plating industry at that point Klip River Catchment Varied bad alkaline and acidic pH in the whole of the industrial areas of City Deep, Benrose, Denver, Rocherville and Industria West. Also acidic at H2 from Devland industrial area next to Eldorado Park. Recommendations Monitor and treat effluent Lead content - Heavy metal producing industries Jukskei Catchment Unacceptable - at Alexandra from a lead producing industry near DWJ14 near Athol Klip River Catchment Unacceptable levels - (< 2,5 mg/l) south of Johannesburg CBD at NS6 (Heriotdale industrial area), RP1 in Booysens, and Denver industrial areas. Recommendations Monitor lead producing industries Chromium content - Mining Industries Jukskei Catchment Unacceptable - at RLOUT which shows the impact of the Robertville industrial area, the Consolidated Main Reef mine and the Chrome / nickel refining plant on Rand Leases Dam adjacent to Fleurhof. Klip River Catchment All acceptable (> 20 mg/l) Recommendations Treat effluent Copper content - Industries Jukskei Catchment Unacceptable (in excess of 10 mg/l) - at Alexandra industrial area west of DWJ14 Klip River Catchment Unacceptable - in whole area around NS6 (Natalspruit) in the Heriotdale, Droste Park, Denver, Benrose and Robertsham industrial areas Recommendations Treat effluent SUMMARY OF WATER POLLUTION IN GREATER JOHANNESBURG
The standards for industrial effluent, which are used in all analysis and maps, according to the by-laws of South Africa, are as follows: Copper 10 mg/l Chromium 20 mg/l Cadmium 2,5 mg/l Nickel 10 mg/l Lead 2,5 mg/l Cilinium 2,5 mg/l Zinc 10 mg/l Mercury 2,5 mg/l Cobalt 20 mg/l Molybdenum 2,5 mg/l Arsenic 2,5 mg/l Boron 2,5 mg/l REFERENCES Cydna Laboratories 1999: Water information. Cydna: Houghton. Jukskei Catchment 1996: South Africa, By laws |
