Vaal River in dire straits

Everyone knows water sustains life, not just for people and animals but also for aquatic life. This is why it’s important for South Africa’s dams and rivers to stay clean for all to drink and live.

With that in mind, there are serious concerns over waste water and acid mine drainage polluting the Vaal River.

The Vaal is one of Gauteng’s major water sources, supporting both land and aquatic animals.

According to Bio Sewage Systems, “municipalities have been found dumping millions of litres of untreated sewage into the Vaal river and dam, which has significantly contaminated the water for 10 million people”.

In August, reports of the sewage disaster escalated after fish were reported to be found dead due to raw sewage flowing into the river from pump stations in the Emfuleni municipality.

Fish, like people, also die from various natural causes like old age, bacterial infections or even parasites. But people-induced factors such as the discharge of raw sewage, fertilisers and industrial effluents can harm them.

There are at least 14 species of fish in the Vaal, some of which could be destroyed by the waste. They are also caught and consumed.

People also stand a big chance of falling ill if water is not purified properly.

Sewage contains an abundance of the organisms that reside in the human gut, including parasites, bacteria, E. coli and more, according to a report on