and impacting the soil quality of arable land .
There is already a legal requirement for mines for monitor and maintain water quality , and many mines also contribute to the water supply requirements of local communities . What is missing , however , is a broader catchment-level view of the water resources that are shared by all users . This aspect of water management can be best achieved by taking a water stewardship approach , and working with other stakeholders in a catchment to gather , share and use data more effectively .
Missing puzzle pieces Even when mines plan for their own water use , the data at their disposal is often lacking in detail and accuracy . For instance , it is difficult if not impossible to know the total water volumes being abstracted by neighbouring industry within the vicinity of a mine – or how the consumption by other users will affect what the mine will be able to draw . There is sophisticated software to generate water models , but the results will only be as good as the available data . When it comes to water management , the picture is frequently a puzzle with most of the pieces missing .
The more fruitful , water stewardship approach is for mines within a catchment to create a formal collaboration through a water forum . This would include not just mines , of course , but also communities and other industry representatives . The focus would be on responsibly managing the water resources for all users , but there is a definite benefit to each mine : it helps to manage water-related risk .
Once there is commitment to the concept , a key function of such a forum is to share information related to water such as increases in dewatering volumes entering rivers , water table impacts , availability , modelling and water use . An immediate advantage is to raise the standard and reliability of the groundwater models that each mine needs to plan their future . By sharing the responsibility to gather a wider pool of data , mines can achieve a more realistic picture of water resources and risks .
Cumulative impact The forum also creates a platform for ongoing collaboration ; for example , where a new mine is opened in the catchment , they too will be expected to participate and to contribute data for the
SRK Consulting partner and principal environmental scientist Wouter Jordaan
benefit of all . A benefit to such a mine is that existing data for an area could assist their planning – with ESG embedded to help benefit all stakeholders around the mine . This approach also drives home the importance of understanding the cumulative impact of mining , a growing thrust of environmental , social and governance ( ESG ) concerns . This should overcome any sensitivity about sharing water-related data , as mines move towards more detailed reporting in terms of global sustainability principles .
There are also mine closure issues to consider – such as the result of dewatering activities coming to a halt when mining operations cease . After stakeholders in a catchment have adapted to the impact of years of dewatering , what will happen when the water table starts rising again ? There may be significant consequences to consider and plan for .
Embracing water stewardship will also help mines within a catchment to more accurately monitor water for any contamination – and in fact to identify the source more quickly . As mines work towards greater transparency about their impacts , this kind of information will be increasingly vital to prove that mines have effective water management strategies .
Pinpointing contamination With groundwater being very dynamic , it can move rapidly and make it difficult to pinpoint the source of any contamination . This makes it important for monitoring networks to be set up in a way that makes it easier for the source and the solution to be identified – rather than leading to ongoing conflict and suspicion between stakeholders . It is also possible for acidic leaching to occur from historical or closed mining areas , and this also needs close monitoring .
Many of these challenges can be much more easily resolved with a collaborative approach in which each player in a catchment recognises their role as a steward of water resources . A stakeholder water forum is a valuable place to start , with an initial focus on sharing water-related data and developing the water monitoring network to close the information gaps .
With its depth of expertise in water management , SRK has professionals accredited by the international Association for Water Stewardship ( AWS ) to assist clients in their water stewardship journey . The AWS offer certification on various levels to recognise companies ’ achievements in this regard .
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