Work on the crucial Vaal River Intervention pollution project is being ramped up during the national Corona lock-down period – especially to break the link between extreme sewage spillage in local communities and the spread of the virus.
The Vaal now faces a dual threat from combined sewage pollution and an accelerating Corona crisis infection curve if not effectively countered or mitigated.
But waste water specialist company ERWAT and organised business say they are alert to the link between sewage pollution and the Corona virus threat and work is ramping up during the 21-day Lock-down period expected to end on 16 April 2020.
Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is also known to be extremely concerned about linkage on the two crises and has instructed that everything possible be done.
Flattening the curve of virus infections is now also part of the massive multi-departmental project’s aim in achieving as much done as possible during Lock-down and without the delays caused up till now by community and special interest protests and even criminal action.
This makes it especially important that work on the project continue unabated and without hindrance during the Lock-down period when community movement is restricted to a minimum, says organised business.
Previously hampered by community protests and crime against project personnel in recent weeks, the Vaal River Intervention Project is being intensified now without hindrance, according to waste water specialist company ERWAT MD Tumelo Gopane.
Although about 300 community members have been employed as general workers or community educators before the Corona crisis, fears remain of wildcat action and renewed crime such as hijacking and hostage-taking.
The Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce (GTCoC) has come out in full support of project intensification during Lock-down – both to flatten the Corona infection curve locally in Vaal communities and to boost job creation and economic investment and development.
Waste water management is also regarded as an essential service and all personnel and contractors working on the Vaal River Intervention Project, as it is formally known, can thus move freely and work during lock-down.
“Waste water is an essential service – so yes, will will not only continue during Lock-down, but work will ramp up so that when we come out of Lock-down, there is huge progress to report to the Vaal and the Nation,” said Gopane.
The link between flattening the Corona infection Curve and poor sanitation and sewage spillage was emphasised by GTCoC spokesperson on Water and Sanitation Rosemary Cloete-Anderson.
The GTCoC and Cloete-Anderson are regarded as key stakeholders – along with environmental watchdog body SAVE – in the Vaal project by Government and Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who has personally prioritised it in several visits to the region in recent months.
Cloete-Anderson emphasised the link between sewage pollution and the spread of the Corona virus.
“It is indeed good news that the Vaal River Intervention Team will be ramping up their efforts during this time. This is indeed a local, national and world crisis we are in and such a good opportunity to fast-track things while the Lock-down is in place.
“As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), people living with sewage spillages or near them are likely to have lower immune systems and therefore more likely to suffer more severely if infected by Covid-19,” said Cloete-Anderson.
