Kobus JoosteResearch Unit

Information Services Section21nd February 2012

2012 State of the Nation Address

A Water Resource Management Perspective

Overview

• Re-affirmation of Government’s commitment to promoting industrial and infrastructure development in South Africa

• This development has direct and indirect water management and allocation implications

• Contrasts with Government’s commitments regarding attaining Millennium Development Goals, Rural agriculture development capacity.

• Threatens regional and International agreements regarding water resource management and reducing carbon emissions.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

• R248 Million set aside over 2 financial years to combat AMD

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

• Industrial development typically has a hidden environmental cost.

• In terms of Gold and Coal mining in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, there are two major water-related costs to mining:– Demand for water from mining activity

– Impact on water quality as a result of mining activity

• Contrasts with White Paper on Water Policy– Water resource management priorities not

considered during issuing of mining and prospecting permits by DME

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

• Mpumalanga Province is a catchment source for many major regional rivers

• Some of these waterways are shared with other countries, with water management agreements in place

• Mining has already polluted some rivers in Mpumalanga to the extent that water required for mining has to be brought in from Vaal Dam.

• More mining can threaten this system as well– 12 million consumers and 60% of South African

economy depends on Vaal River System

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

• Allocation to combat AMD very conservative

• In 2009, the CSIR calculated that the cost of treating acidified water in Witwatersrand Goldfields alone would cost R1 050 000 (at R3000/m3) per day

• WWF estimates the total remediation cost of AMD from abandoned mines to be R30 billion

• These costs are not taken into account when coal fired power stations are advocated as supplying “cheap” electricity.

Overlapping land use jurisdictions

• DME, DEA, DAFF, DWA all have individual Strategic Plans in place for areas earmarked to be affected by coal mining and prospecting in the near future.

• These activities are mutually exclusive.

• Sustainable management of scarce water resources not prioritised– Resulting in South Africa having lowest score on

African continent in latest Environmental Performance Index and Pilot Trend Environmental Performance Index (ranked 128 out of 132 in the world).

Overview

• Re-affirmation of Government’s commitment to promoting industrial and infrastructure development in South Africa

• This development has direct and indirect water management and allocation implications

• Contrasts with Government’s commitments regarding attaining Millennium Development Goals, Regional and International agreements regarding water resource management and reducing carbon emissions.

Bulk Water Supply Infrastructure

• Expansion of Bulk water supply Infrastructure

Bulk Water Supply Infrastructure• Major commitments in 2012 address towards

upgrading and expansion of rural bulk water supply infrastructure

• This water supply will be crucial in achieving growth in agriculture, mining and industrial development over the coming decades

• Concerns around delays in taking projects from announcement and planning phases to completion

• In 2010, DWA had 1155 vacancies, mostly in critical technical, engineering and scientist positions

Bulk Water Supply Infrastructure

• Of particular importance to rural development :– Mtatha revitalisation project

– The Mzimvubu Water Project

– Raising of Clanwilliam and Hazelmere dam walls

– The Olifants River Water Resources Development Project

• All of the projects listed above have partial or total focus on rural development.

• Even without more implementation delays, these projects are mostly large-scale, with a relatively limited area of influence*

• Need for complimentary projects based on alternative methods of rural agriculture development

Implications for Parliament• 2012 Adress, with a focus on coal mining and

coal-fired power generation expansion, clashes with 50% of DEA problem Statements in the latest Situation Analysis:– Continued reliance on fossil fuels

– Mine waste management

– Impact of mining on the environment

– Degradation of wetlands

– Declining health and water quality of aquatic ecosystems

• Clear need for country’s developmental goals to be met, but without threatening sustainable water resource management and agricultural capacity.

Suggested Actions for 2012• On Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)

– Clarity needed on the true cost of clean-up and planned remedial action, especially on abandoned mines

– Potential for utilizing cleaning processes to supply mines with industrial grade water

– Urge more effective co-ordination of policy and practice between DME and various Departments tasked with Land and Environmental Affairs

• On Bulk Water Supply Projects– Liaise continually with implementing departments

regarding development timelines

– Engage relevant departments regarding plans to improve on critical capacity shortages