SHOOT: 9.6-million people (20.2% of the total population) are clustered around the Johannesburg metropole and Pretoria. There is talk that by october 2010 acid mine drainage will overflow and contaminate water supplies. This is essentially a mixture of heavy metals, radioactive waste and acid run-off. Given the record on crime, electricity, education and the rest, does anyone really expect this additional crisis to be averted?
THE possibility of Gauteng running short of clean water to supply the entire province by 2013 “is very real”, says the department of housing. Currently, Gauteng municipalities are losing R1,2billion on lost or unaccounted water.
As a result, the province said it would be lobbying for R600million per year for the next six years needed for technical skills development, retention and infrastructure upgrade and management.
Johannesburg municipality uses about 500 million cubic meters of water a year, of which about 30 percent is unaccounted for. That is worth bout R522million.
He said although the Lesotho highlands Water Project was being expanded, the province did not feel the benefits of the project because of high levels of illegal water usage.
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