Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum Minutes of Meeting leeu taai forum minutes 21 oct 2004.doc Minutes of the 26th Leeu Taaiboschspruit Forum Meeting held on 21 October 2004 at Boiketlong 1. ATTENDANCE Abe de Kock Coalbrook Farmers Johanna Botha New Vaal Collieries PRESENT Gerhard Homann Metsimaholo LM Peter Hall Sasol Infrachem Henry Archer Sasol Sandra Potgieter Dow Plastics Ivan Cooper Süd-Chemie Bob Kleynjan Sasol Infrachem James Cooks Karbochem Denis Boden Natref PJ Groenewald DWAF: Vaaldam Pieter Vermaak DWAF: Vaaldam Carl Woodhouse Eskom Lethabo PS André van Zyl NFS District Mun. David Keyser Natref Kefilwe Maputla Dept of Env. Health Nthabeleng Rakometsi DoH Thabiso Dhlamini Comm. Serv. Env. Koos Swanepoel DWAF - Vaaldam Health Syd Parkhouse Anglo Coal Hans Kruger Sasol Technology Carl Scholtz Sasol Seeff Rademeyer DWAF APOLOGIES Andre Pretorius DWAF - Upper Vaal Piet Sefudi Sasol Mining Henk Beyleveld DoH – Env Health Marc deFontaine Rand Water Jan Froneman New Vaal Colliery Dawie Maree DWAF GS Chabalala DoH Marius Keet DWAF ABSENT Roelf Human Petronet Hans Seleke DTEEA Lesley Phillips Sasol Technology R&D Pule Matsela Metsimaholo LM Thabani Mlilo Sastech Thandi Mthembu Vaaldam Tjaart Coetzee Omnia Patrick Sophaza Omnia Fertilizers Sakkie Steyn Dow Plastics Sakkie de Villiers Driefontein Farmer Johan Zeelie N Dept Agriculture Motshidisi Manzini DWAF 2. WELCOME Hans Kruger welcomed all to the meeting, especially Andre van Zyl and David Keyser who are attending the meeting for the first time. Apologies were submitted by: André Pretorius Piet Sefudi Seef Rademeyer Marc DeFontaine Henk Beyleveld 3. ITEMS TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA 9.1 New Vaal Maccauvlei West Expansion (Syd Parkhouse) 9.2 Northern Free State District Council (André van Zyl) Continued on next page Saved: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Page 1 of 10 Printed: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Sandra Potgieter Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum Minutes of Meeting leeu taai forum minutes 21 oct 2004.doc Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum, Continued 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The following spelling mistakes were reported and should be corrected: 5.6 Beyleveldt should be Beyleveld 6.3 Melinda should be Malinda 6.5 Nomaziz should be Nomazizi 8. loos should be looks 7. hi should be him The minutes were accepted as correct with these comments included. 5. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (ACTION LIST) · The outstanding pledge due by Natref is to be paid. Denis will check if transfer has been made. · The catchment tour will be arranged by DWAF – Golder Associates will arrange the transport. The tour will be held on 2 November and departure is from the Sasol Midlands main gate at 08h00. The tour will take up the whole day. Bob Kleynjan and James Cooks will also join. · Ms Nomazizi Mdi from FS DTEEA was contacted with regards to the feedback on the solid waste sites in the catchment, and they undertook to attend the meeting. This has not happened since they did not send a representative, for the second meeting in succession. This is a critical issue and should be a high priority item in the Northern Free State. It takes at least two years to set up a site, and all waste being dumped impacts on groundwater. · The FMC will revisit the strategic plan for the LTF over the next 2 FMC meetings (12 weeks) , and will distribute to the LTF after it has been updated. · A letter of thanks to Kavita Pema has been drafted, but not yet sent. Hans Kruger will send this letter on behalf of the LTF by 29 October 2004. · The FMC had decided that it is too late to write a letter to Spoornet regarding the incident on Sasol and this matter will be removed from the action list. · Peter Hall did forward all the information on the Spoornet incident to Dawie Maree. · André van Zyl will address MLM’s progress on the new landfill site. 6. COMMITTEE UPDATES 6.1. Technical Committee Details on the WQO are still available on the www.reservoir.co.za A number of meetings have been held since the last LTF meeting. The Technical Committee took stock of the actions and achievements to date, and it is currently the only Technical Committee functioning within the Upper Vaal Catchment. Kavita Pema congratulated and thanked the LTF Technical Committee. Continued on next page Saved: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Page 2 of 10 Printed: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Sandra Potgieter Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum Minutes of Meeting leeu taai forum minutes 21 oct 2004.doc Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum, Continued The next action is the Situational Analysis for the groundwater in the catchment. This is part of the reason for the catchment tour. DWAF appointed Golder Associates to drive this situational analysis. TJ Kruger will co-opt Jaap Smit to sit in on the Project Coordination meetings since he can add value with his knowledge of the catchment. The purpose of the catchment tour is mostly to share knowledge and information. For groundwater quality objectives, the methodology would be in line with the risk-based approach that DWAF follows, and the Technical Committee would be very reliant on DWAF for guidance in this matter. The way forward for the Technical Committee depends largely on the outcome of the Situational Analysis. 6.1.1. Driefontein Dam Tjaart Coetzee from Omnia was elected as the new Chair for the Driefontein Dam Steering Committee. A brief history of the Driefontein Dam investigation follows. Walmsley did a Situational Analysis for surface water in 1998 and some hot spots were identified, of which the Driefontein Dam was one. The Driefontein Dam Steering Committee was formed, and comprised of representatives from Karbochem (then Dow Sasolburg), Sasol Chemical Industries and Omnia Fertilizers. The Steering Committee then commissioned the CSIR to perform a study on the area. The outcome of this study was that further investigations were required. Jones & Wagener then went ahead and did geophysics and other intrusive work for the contaminants of concern. The major outcome was that each industry involved had to identify the sources of pollution found on the Driefontein Farm, which came from the respective industries. Together with DWAF, the various industries had to come up with a plan to remove the sources of pollution. The next recommendation was that the water in Henry’s Dam and Driefontein Dam should be landfarmed and sprayed onto the farm. This was not very successful, because it took 6 months to remove 2000m3 of water. The current plan is to empty Henry’s Dam into the domestic sewerage line at a low rate, which should take 2-3 weeks to complete. This would be a once off exercise, and the plan is to stop the pollution from recurring, clear out the dams, check the sediments and then depending on the sediment quality, devise a plan to address the pollution still present. The last step is to demolish the dam walls. Some questions were raised by DWAF after receiving the Jones & Wagener report, and these have been addressed. There were also some remedial options suggested by Jones & Wagener, and these will be tested in small scale trials on site. This project is an example of how problems in the catchment are identified and addressed, perhaps not as quick as some would have preferred, but the problem is resolved in the long run. The fencing around Driefontein Farm has been repaired, the cattle have been removed from the farm and signposts have been put in place to warn of the hazards in the water and soil. Continued on next page Saved: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Page 3 of 10 Printed: 11/12/04 07:10 AM Sandra Potgieter Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum Minutes of Meeting leeu taai forum minutes 21 oct 2004.doc Taaibosch Leeuspruit Forum, Continued 6.1.2. Paddabaai 6 Tasks have been identified for completion before the Steering Committee can be disbanded. These are: 1. Draw an accurate map of all pollution sources to Paddabaai through DWAF 2. Identify, with DWAF, all sampling points and responsibility for sampling 3. Establish the volumes of stormwater from each contributor 4. Establish the quality of stormwater from each contributor 5. Submit monthly reports to DWAF on the volume and quality of stormwater from each contributor 6. Omnia needs to include in their Site Water License application the request for discharging effluent 7. Fence off the entire Paddabaai stormwater weir André Pretorius could give feedback to the LTF on a monthly basis on the water quality and volumes into Paddabaai. The Farmer currently on the Soetevelde farm has erected a fence around the area, preventing access from Soetevelde into Paddabaai. DWAF had agreed with the contributors, excluding Omnia, that no Site Water Licenses are required if clean stormwater only is discharged into Paddabaai. If Omnia discharges any other water (i.e. treated effluent), a Site Water License is required. 6.2. Financial and Administrative Committee The balance of the LTF bank account on 1 September 2004 is R6650.56. Natref’s pledge has not been deposited yet. A budget will be drawn up and the biggest expenditure is expected to be the public relations. The drive will be to leverage the exposure of the Water Week and Techno X exhibitions. 6.3. Public Relations Committee Malinda Koekemoer will give proposals to the LTF on the PR options at the next LTF meeting. The LTF will be consolidating the PR efforts with the Sasolburg Community Working Group (SCWG). The primary function is to create awareness of water and the scarcity thereof in the catchment. There should be a drive to increase the awareness of the broader community of the LTF actions, and also canvassing for more members.