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focusing on the purification of polluted systems by building of biomimicry artificial wetlands — using the same plant species that occur in that area or country — not enough studies have been on the effects of severe droughts on wetland systems decanting into a total catchment . As this county is arid and , by world standards , a water-scarce country , more funding should be made available for further research by suitably qualified scientists to investigate severe drought on wetland systems within
How wetlands work .
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a catchment , especially where food security becomes severely threatened . For the purpose of sustainability , the funding of scientific research becomes paramount in certain economic areas , such as mining and agriculture . More so in South Africa , which can still be classed as a developing country , with a known water scarcity that is increasing by the advent of worldwide climate change .
Certain areas , such as mining , can correct water availability by decanting contaminated water into wetlands and using wetlands to change the water quality , to the extent that it can safely be released back into the catchment systems . These wetlands are specifically not subject to influence from drought , as they are surviving with enough availability of water , albeit contaminated water , on the mine properties where wetlands are not necessarily influenced by drought , but by the mining pollutants that they now contain . We have been part of a team that successfully led research into doing this for a large coal mining group in South Africa ; similarly , we led a team that proved that this could also be done in the gold mining sector .
Another large source of contaminated water is available from our wastewater works . This water is highly contaminated by pollutants , which can be cleaned by using wetlands . Our droughtthreatened wetlands can therefore be replenished by wastewater works by means of redirecting wastewater through the wetland systems , which can perform a dual function of keeping the wetlands sustained , while
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Certain areas , such as mining ,
can correct water availability
by decanting contaminated
water into wetlands and
using wetlands to change
the water quality , to the
extent that it can safely
be released back into the
catchment systems .
the nutrient-rich pollutants can be removed by wetland plants and reed beds . This proven science exists , and Israel is a good example where 90 % of their wastewater is reprocessed and re-used .
Corporates should become more aware of the management of water sources they may need and the water that their properties discharge back into catchment systems . The ISO 14001 standards will provide a good guide to all concerned with our environment , especially the standards concerning the management of wastewater .
It is unnecessary that our major wetlands be influenced by everincreasing droughts , by cleaning the wastewater through the wetlands and providing additional clean water to our catchment systems .
The flurry that is at present going on in Cape Town could have been avoided , as drilling into the aquifer should have started in 2002 and not only in the past six months . Wastewater treatment in Cape Town does not exist and should have been implemented years ago .
And on a last note : water sustainability goes hand-in-hand and ensures food security . u
About the author
Paul Fairall is the principal consultant for Emifula , riverine and wetland remedial consultants and associates . He has been in the field for 27 years , focusing on saving the environment ( all fauna and flora ) and wetlands specifically .
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