GEORGE NEWS - Several waterways in the George municipal area, including the Gwaiing, Camphersdrift, Malgas and Kat rivers, will receive some tender loving care thanks to a project initiated and managed by die national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Called the Source to Sea river cleanup project, it aims to recover land-based litter from rivers and waterways before it reaches the ocean.
George Municipality has welcomed the project, which will see the collection of litter and debris along six of the city’s rivers from August 2021.
The pilot Source-to-Sea Project was launched in KZN in 2019. The current initiative is funded by national Economic Stimulus Package Funding and will be implemented in 16 coastal districts, including George, for three months or longer.
George Municipality has supported the project by securing 20 local registered EPWP workers, and identifying and prioritising rivers most affected by pollution. The municipality will also be picking up the filled refuse bags as part of its usual refuse collection schedule.
Director of Community Services Allen Paulse said several rivers, tributaries and waterways flow through its municipal area and are mostly surrounded by residential and recreational areas that impact on river cleanliness.
“The municipality participates and supports ongoing river clean-up projects and environmental awareness campaigns across our area, but littering and polution remain a major concern. We are immensely grateful to the DFFE for implementing this programme in George – not only because of the reduction of current waste, but also because of its associated impacts through education, awareness and job creation,” he said.
The waterways identified for clean-up include:
- Gwaiing River from Blanco to the river mouth;
- Camphersdrift River from Glenbarrie to where it joins Gwaiing;
- Malgas River and ‘Power Stream’ above Blanco to where it joins Gwaiing;
- Skaapkop River through Pacaltsdorp and past Thembalethu to the river mouth;
- Kat River from Glenbarrie, past eastern suburbs into the Garden Route Dam;
- Swart River from below the Garden Route Dam to where it flows into Kaaimans including Kaaimans River Mouth area; and the Meulen River from Conville through Ballotsview and Thembalethu into Ballots Bay river mouth.
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