OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF MINING ON THE ... - IIED pubs

Several towns (e.g. Witbank and Middelburg) and numerous smaller settlements and farming communities are
present in the upper reaches of the sub-catchment. Population numbers and density initially decline with
increasing distance from the upper reaches, and then increase again in the intensively farmed irrigation areas.
Light and heavy industry is present in the towns of Witbank and Middelburg, with many industries geared
specifically to meeting the needs of the extensive coal-mining sector in the region.
5.3.1.4 Surface water users
All towns, mines, power stations and industries in the sub-catchment rely on water supplied from water supply
reservoirs. Additional water is brought into the sub-catchment via inter-basin transfer schemes from the Komati,
Usutu and Vaal systems, principally to meet the large volumes requirements of the eight power stations located
in this sub-catchment. Smaller settlements and farmsteads, particularly those in the lower reaches of the subcatchment,
rely on boreholes for their water requirements.
The extensive irrigation areas downstream of the Loskop Dam consume most of the water used in the lower
reaches of this sub-catchment. Extensive informal settlements have sprung up around the periphery of the
urban centres (e.g. Witbank and Middelburg). These settlements lack access to basic services such as clean
water supplies and suitable sanitation systems.
5.3.1.5 Water management systems
The South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) is responsible for the management of all
aspects of water supply and water use in the sub-catchment. The Department operates a system of routine flow
gauging at the Loskop Dam, and other water supply dams, and pays particular attention to monitoring the
quantity of water supplied to irrigation schemes and towns, as well as increasing attention to the quality of
agricultural return flows and effluent discharges to the Wilge River. The irrigation boards are responsible for the
day-to-day management of water allocations for irrigation.
Each coalmine and thermal power station also collaborates in the management of their water supplies and in
the disposal of their wastes and effluents. At present, no cost-effective cure is available for the problems
associated with the extensive acid mine drainage that characterizes seepage and discharges from the collieries
in the Witbank and Highveld coal-mining areas. All of the mining companies who are active in this area
collaborate actively in joint research programmes to devise solutions for this perennial problem. At the present
time, a very ambitious project, named “COALTECH 2020” has been launched to discover alternative ways of
dealing with the variety of problems faced by collieries in this area, and to extend the economic lifespan of the
mines (Beukes, 2000). This programme involves representatives from 15 international and 15 national
organizations, including all the major mining houses, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the
Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs, The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the CSIR and
academia (three South African universities). This concerted, collaborative approach has already led to
improvements in both the understanding of the various problems and in the management of some of the water
problem areas.
ccxcvii