Draft Basic EIA Brandvlei Reverse Osmosis Plant
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2009/073037/23 Environmental Impact Assessment Process Draft Basic Assessment Report & Environmental Management Programme 13/2011 The Development of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and associated infrastructure at Brandvlei Northern Cape Namakwa District Municipality Hantam Municipality Northern Cape Province DENC REF No: NC/BA/NAM/HAN/BRA/20I2 Applicant: Hantam Local Municipality (For official use only) File Reference Number: Application Number: Date Received: Basic assessment report in terms of the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2010, promulgated in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as amended. Kindly note that: 1. This basic assessment report is a standard report that may be required by a competent authority in terms of the EIA Regulations, 2010 and is meant to streamline applications. Please make sure that it is the report used by the particular competent authority for the activity that is being applied for. 2. The report must be typed within the spaces provided in the form. The size of the spaces provided is not necessarily indicative of the amount of information to be provided. The report is in the form of a table that can extend itself as each space is filled with typing. 3. Where applicable tick the boxes that are applicable in the report. 4. An incomplete report may be returned to the applicant for revision. 5. The use of “not applicable” in the report must be done with circumspection because if it is used in respect of material information that is required by the competent authority for assessing the application, it may result in the rejection of the application as provided for in the regulations. 6. This report must be handed in at offices of the relevant competent authority as determined by each authority. 7. No faxed or e-mailed reports will be accepted. 8. The report must be compiled by an independent environmental assessment practitioner. 9. Unless protected by law, all information in the report will become public information on receipt by the competent authority. Any interested and affected party should be provided with the information contained in this report on request, during any stage of the application process. 10. A competent authority may require that for specified types of activities in defined situations only parts of this report need to be completed. 11. Should a specialist report or report on a specialised process be submitted at any stage for any part of this application, the terms of reference for such report must also be submitted. Construction and Operation of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and Associated Infrastructure 13/2011– Draft Basic Assessment Report PROJECT DETAILS FILE NAME: Brandvlei Brine Treatment Plant and associated infrastructure FILE NUMBER: 13/2011 DENC REFERENCE: NC/BA/NAM/HAN/BRA/20I2 DEA REFERENCE: 12/9/11/L980/8 REPORT: DRAFT BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF A REVERSE OSMOSIS PLANT, BRINE TREATMENT PLANT AND ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE LOCATION: Erf 339, Erf 304 and Erf 305, BRANDVLEI, NORTHERN CAPE DATED: September 2014 WRITTEN BY: VAN ZYL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS CC Consultant: I.B. Van Zyl Mobile: 072 222 6194 Telephone: 054 338 0722 Facsimile: 086 624 0306 Email: [email protected] Address: P.O. Box 567, UPINGTON, 8800 Sub-Consultants: Ekotrust CC (Ecological Study) ACO Associates cc (Heritage Impact Assessment) Natura Viva CC (Palaeontological Heritage Assessment: Desktop Study) SRK Consulting Engineers and Scientists (Brandvlei Groundwater Assessment) APPOINTED BY: Hantam Municipality Contact Person: Charl du Plessis Mobile: 082 898 4012 Telephone: 027 341 8500 Facsimile: 027 341 8501/1461 Email: [email protected] Postal Address: Private Bag X14, Calvinia, 8190, South Africa GENERAL SITE INFORMATION PROPERTY PORTIONS: SURVEYOR GENERAL CODE: Erf 339 C01500010000033900000 Erf 305 C01500010000030500000 Erf 304 C01500010000030400000 (Appendix G) Should this report be used as a reference, it should be cited as follows: Van Zyl Environmental Consultants, 2014. Draft Basic Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the Construction and Operation of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and Associated Infrastructure , Northern Cape. Upington Copyright This draft basic environmental impact assessment report has been produced for Hantam Municipality. The intellectual property contained in this report remains vested with Van Zyl Environmental Consultants cc. No part of the report may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Van Zyl Environmental Consultants cc or Hantam Municipality September 2014 Page i Construction and Operation of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and Associated Infrastructure 13/2011– Draft Basic Assessment Report PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS INVITATION TO COMMENT ON THE DRAFT BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT The draft environmental scoping report is available for review at the Brandvlei Public Library, which was identified to be readily accessible to I&APs. Take note of the library’s trading hours: DAY TIME Monday: 10:00-12:00 & 15:00-17:00 Tuesday: 10:00-12:00 & 15:00-17:00 Wednesday: 15:00-17:00 Thursday: 15:00-17:00 Friday: 9:00-12:00 The availability of the report will be communicated to all registered I&APs. They will be allowed a review period of 40 days from 03 November to 12 December 2014. Please submit your written comments, including a declaration of any business, financial, personal or other interest you may have in the approval or rejection of this application, via facsimile, or post to: CONSULTANT: I.B. van Zyl Mobile: 072 222 6194 Telephone: 054 338 0722 Facsimile: 086 624 0306 Email: [email protected] Address: P.O. Box 567 UPINGTON 8800 Always cite the reference numbers in order to ensure that your comments are allocated correctly. September 2014 Page ii Construction and Operation of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and Associated Infrastructure 13/2011– Draft Basic Assessment Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Details i General Site Information i Invitation to Comment on the Final Basic Environmental Impact Assessment Report ii Table of Contents iii Glossary of Terms vi Abbreviations vii 1. SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT 1 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.1.1 The Development 1 1.2 Legal Requirements 4 1.2.1 Other Applicable Legislation and Policies 7 1.3 Terms of Reference 9 1.4 Details of the Environmental Assessment Practitioner and Expertise to Conduct the EIA 9 2. APPROACH TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY 10 2.1 Methodology of the Environmental Impact Assessment 10 2.2 Specialist Studies 10 SECTION A: ACTIVITY INFORMATION 12 1. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION 12 1.1 The Site 12 1.2 Land Use 12 1.3 Project description 12 1.3.1 Desalination Plant for Reverse Osmosis Treatment 12 1.3.2 Brine Effluent Evaporation Ponds 12 1.3.3 Saline 0.5 ML Raw Water Storage Reservoir 13 1.3.4 Water Management 13 1.3.5 High Voltage Power Supply 14 1.4 Construction Phase Activities 14 1.4.1 Surveys 14 1.4.2 Access Roads to the Site and Internal Roads 14 1.4.3 Site Preparation and Construction Laydown Areas 14 1.4.4 Transportation of Equipment, Infrastructure and Materials to Site 14 1.4.5 Ancillary Infrastructure 14 1.5 Decommissioning of Construction Areas after Completion of Construction Work 15 1.6 Operational & Maintenance Phase Activities 15 1.7 Decommissioning Phase Activities 15 2. FEASIBLE AND REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES 16 2.1 Alternative Technologies 16 2.2 Preferred Alternative: RO Plant and Oxidation Ponds 16 2.2.1 Alternative Site Location 16 2.2.2 Infrastructure, Technology & Process 17 2.2.3 Resources 17 2.2.4 Technical Competence 18 2.2.5 Demand 18 2.2.6 Activity/Land Use 18 2.2.7 Sewage 18 2.2.8 ‘Do Nothing’ Alternative 18 3. ACTIVITY POSITION 19 4. PHYSICAL SIZE OF THE ACTIVITY 20 5. SITE ACCESS 20 6. SITE OR ROUTE PLAN 20 7. SITE PHOTOGRAPHS 20 8. FACILITY ILLUSTRATION 21 September 2014 Page iii Construction and Operation of a Reverse Osmosis Plant, Brine Treatment Plant and Associated Infrastructure 13/2011– Draft Basic Assessment Report 9. ACTIVITY MOTIVATION 21 9(a) Socio Economic Value of the Activity 21 9(b) Need and Desirability of the Activity 21 10. APPLICABLE LEGISLATION, POLICIES AND/OR GUIDELINES 22 11. WASTE, EFFLUENT, EMISSION AND NOISE MANAGEMENT 23 11(a) Solid Waste Management 23 11(b) Liquid Effluent 23 11(c) Emissions into the Atmosphere 23 11(d) Generation of Noise 23 12. WATER USE 24 13. ENERGY EFFICIENCY 24 SECTION B: SITE/AREA/PROPERTY DESCRIPTION 25 1. GRADIENT OF THE SITE 25 2. LOCATION IN LANDSCAPE 26 3. GROUNDWATER, SOIL AND GEOLOGICAL STABILITY OF THE SITE 26 4. GROUNDCOVER 26 5. LAND USE CHARACTER OF SURROUNDING AREA 27 6. CULTURAL/HISTORICAL FEATURES 28 SECTION C: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 29 1. ADVERTISEMENT 29 2. CONTENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND NOTICES 29 3. PLACEMENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND NOTICES 29 4. DETERMINATION OF APPROPRIATE MEASURES 29 5. COMMENTS AND RESPONSE REPORT 30 6. AUTHORITY PARTICIPATION 30 7. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 31 SECTION D: IMPACT ASSESSMENT 32 1. ISSUES RAISED BY INTERESTED AND AFFECTED PARTIES 32 2. IMPACTS THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE PLANNING AND DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATIONAL, DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE PHASES AS WELL AS PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF IDENTIFIED IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION MEASURES 32 2.1 Impact Assessment 32 2.1.1 Construction and Operational Phase Impacts 33 2.1.1.1 Water Resources 33 2.1.1.2 Soil and Agriculture 35 2.1.1.3 Ecology and Biodiversity 36 2.1.1.4 Social Environment 39 2.1.1.5 Economic Impacts 41 2.1.1.6 Traffic Impacts 41 2.1.1.7 Noise 41 2.1.1.8 Air Quality 42 2.1.1.9 Visual and Aesthetical Impacts 42 2.1.1.10 Heritage Resources 42 2.1.1.11 Impacts on Tourism 43 3.