I got an email today from a former student which said: “It is a few years since you mentioned that there will be a potential Windhoek water crisis… and now it arrived. Regards. Manjo” Gauteng, South Africa’s heartland, is very close to a similar crisis, but it is made worse by the steadily rising underground tide of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) – a toxic cocktail left behind by the mines (70% of which no longer have owners) . The AMD then merges with the water that leaks about of the urban water system. Up to 40% of all potable water never reaches its destination – it leaks into the surrounding soils, and eventually filters down adding to the problem of rising levels of AMD. It is a matter of time before this starts to threaten drinking water supplies of this region where surface water has pollution has reached extremely high levels. When public notices go up in Gauteng about a water crisis, it will not merely be about shortages of water.
Anthony Turton and others have been warning about this for at least a decade.
Anthony Turton and others have been warning about this for at least a decade.
We were informed, at the Water Leadership meeting yesterday, that it is the fault of civil society and all the mining companies have left so nothing effective can done about AMD.
We were informed, at the Water Leadership meeting yesterday, that it is the fault of civil society and all the mining companies have left so nothing effective can done about AMD.
Please Mark, don’t use the journalese “toxic cocktail” to describe AMD.
Please Mark, don’t use the journalese “toxic cocktail” to describe AMD.