Green, Resilient & Sustainable Joburg

management initiatives through its Environment and Infrastructure Services Department:

Jukskei Catchment Management Plan

The project entailed the development of a catchment management plan for the Jukskei catchment, to guide the integrated management of water resources to ensure healthy rivers, the improved management of the overall water balance, reduced flooding, and restoring the social benefits of watercourses. The hydrological model and scenario applications were completed.

Dam Upgrades and Rehabilitation Braamfontein West Catchment:

The programme comprised the rehabilitation and re-engineering of various dams (Alberts Farm and Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, Emmarentia upper dams), including the reconstruction and modification of banks and spillways, to restore structural integrity, assist with water attenuation and retention, promote improved water quality, and the restoration of aquatic habitat. Work for the 2020/21 financial year comprised the implementation of Phase 1 (Alberts Farm civils work). Fencing and gates have been completed. The dam embankment, installation of kerbs and paving, and spillway construction were completed.

Specialist studies and rehabilitation plans for affected sites (Kaalfontein,

Marlboro Gardens): The project comprised specialist studies, including in particular a waste impact report, and the development of rehabilitation plans for riverine areas suffering deterioration as a result of illegal dumping, the encroachment of illegal dwellings, infilling and pollution. This was in response to directives issued to the City by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (No. 107 of 1998). Data gathering, analysis and modelling have subsequently been undertaken and included water quality data, waste data, and hydraulic and hydrological assessment. Specialist studies and the waste impact report/rehabilitation plan have also been completed.

Surface Water Quality Monitoring Programme

The Surface Water Quality Monitoring Programme monitors bacteriological and chemical water quality at 108 sampling points in the City’s main tributaries, on a monthly basis, from both the Kliprivier and Jukskei catchments. The results are used to track trends, highlight problem areas, and enable early intervention to improve water quality in the City’s watercourses.

There are 54 sampling sites in the Kliprivier catchment and 8 sampling sites in the Rietspruit catchment. There are two main hotspots in terms of water quality management – Bosmontspruit and Orlando Dam; however, there are still areas such as Russell stream, Princess Dump and greater Soweto that pose challenges in terms of water quality management.

Due to the deterioration in bacteriological water quality, water quality data will be reviewed with the aim of adopting additional monitoring points as hotspot areas.

The Bosmont spruit is subjected to bacteriological and chemical pollution. The area is highly industrialised and has a number of informal settlements and sewer infrastructure failures that have an impact on water quality.

There are 66 monitoring points and three water quality hotspots in the Jukskei catchment, namely Alexandra/ Wynberg, Bruma, and Kaalspruit/ Ivory Park. However, there are other areas in the catchment that have water quality challenges. While Kaalspruit/ Ivory Park and Bruma Lake are facing major problems with sewer related pollution, the Alexandra/Wynberg and Modderfontein areas are affected by both sewage- and chemical-related pollution.

The drastic increase of sewer blockages – especially in the hotspot low-income areas, which include Ivory Park, Diepsloot and Alexandra – is also posing a challenge to service delivery. This results in a decrease in response times to sewer blockages in these areas due to an increased number of blockages that cannot be attended to within the prescribed 24 hours, as well as the reoccurring nature of these blockages. The main reason for this increase is the incorrect use of the sewer infrastructure by communities, sabotaging of the manholes by vagrants, solid waste dumping along the stream, sand mining within the river, and other social-related issues especially in the low-income areas.

Overall status of water quality hotspot areas

Three hotspot areas recorded an improvement between April-June 2021. Hotspot areas remain a priority and Johannesburg Water continues to implement interventions that include preventative maintenance through the hydro-jetting of sewer reticulation mains, the implementation of sewer infrastructure upgrade projects, clearing blockages, as well as CCTV monitoring.