Gardag raises half of legal costs to fight development

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The Garden Route Dam Action Group (Gardag) has raised almost half of the estimated legal cost for litigation against the proposed waterfront development at the Garden Route Dam.

Gardag's move to resort to legal action follows the rejection of all appeals against the environmental approval for the development granted by the Western Cape Environmental Affairs and Development Planning to George Municipality in 2022.

Gardag chairperson Desireé du Preez said in a recent media statement that an advocate has been appointed to start with the lengthy proceedings that need to be followed to challenge the development in the Supreme Court.

One of the biggest concerns among appellants is potential pollution of the dam water by the development, which includes a commercial waterfront, a residential component and proposed university.

Gardag has been part of a public outcry against sewage spills in local rivers for years and in the statement Du Preez again refers to two spills from the Eden pump station that happened in May.

She links it to concerns regarding the dam development proposal to have 70% of sewage drained to two pump stations 100 metres away from the full level of the dam.

"The widespread collapse of water facilities throughout South Africa and the outbreak of cholera are a reminder of how important it is to protect a community's drinking water. Water is the most critical of all natural resources and must be protected at all cost."

Water use licence still being awaited

The municipality still does not have a water use licence for the proposed development. Its application for a licence was rejected by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) following which the municipality appealed.

Director for Human Settlements, Planning and Development Lauren Waring confirmed that they are still awaiting the outcome of the appeal. "The rezoning application has been started, but we cannot take it forward without the water licence," she said.

Drinking water quality to be reported publicly

In response to Gardag's reference to cholera, the municipality said the disease is most likely to occur in places with inadequate water treatment. George Municipality's water quality is of an excellent standard and complies with SANS 0241 standards.

"The drinking water quality will, going forward, be reported on the George municipal website on a quarterly basis and to DWS on their IRIS system on a monthly basis, as part of the Blue Drop compliance programme. Samples of raw water at both the old and new water treatment facilities are taken once a week.

"Samples of the final treated water at the treatment facilities are taken twice a week. Strategic sample points in the water distribution network and reservoirs are also monitored by the George municipal laboratory. Different bacteriological, chemical and physical parameters are measured and monitored."

The municipality confirmed the two spillage incidents at the Eden sewer pump station on 1 and 24 May and said in both instances this was picked up through its early warning systems.

Tanker suction and mobile pump services were used to control the situation while remedial measures were implemented.

In the first instance, a pump set had tripped out and in the second instance the backup electrical generator at the pump station had had a mechanical failure during load-shedding.

Backup power generating units have been installed at the critical sewer pump stations along water courses and at the water and wastewater treatment facilities. "Others remain in progress," said the municipality.

Photo: Alida de Beer