Lonehill Dam in Fourways, Johannesburg, is showing signs of ecological recovery following a community-led rehabilitation project that has improved water quality, cleared aquatic weeds and brought wildlife back to the area.
Until recently, the dam was characterised by a foul smell and a surface covered in aquatic weeds. Today, the water is clearer, the smell has disappeared, and birdlife and other wildlife are returning, following a partnership between residents, the City of Johannesburg, local businesses and environmental specialists.
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Dr Jack Bloom and the City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Development, Thapelo Amad, conducted a walkabout at Lonehill Park on Wednesday to assess progress with the dam’s rehabilitation.
The project was initiated by the Lonehill Residents Association in partnership with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, local businesses and university researchers, with the aim of restoring the dam’s water quality and rehabilitating its aquatic ecosystem.
The association is supported by water specialists SOURCE (Solutions for Our Collective Environment), a non-profit project management cooperative, and its water rehabilitation initiative, Mobile Blue, led by Mark McClue and Kyle Odgers.
The rehabilitation combines technology and nature-based solutions, including bioremediation, which uses beneficial microbes to break down years of accumulated organic waste and sewage, while activated charcoal absorbs toxins.
The process is supported by nanobubble technology, which introduces microscopic oxygen-carrying bubbles into the water to increase oxygen levels and create conditions that support the breakdown of organic waste.
The results are already evident. According to the residents’ association, the dam has remained free of aquatic weeds for five months, while dissolved oxygen saturation levels have been maintained at between 75% and 78%, with further improvements expected as harmful nutrient levels decline.
Herons and other bird species have returned, while fish are more active and terrapins, mongooses and crabs have also been spotted.
The association, which previously had to work at the dam five days a week for eight months of the year, now only needs to undertake maintenance once a week.
The significance of the project extends beyond Lonehill, as the dam receives water through 11 inlets, including runoff from a nearby shopping centre and residential estates. Its outflow ultimately feeds into the Jukskei River and Hartbeespoort Dam.
Improving water quality at the dam therefore has potential benefits for the wider catchment. However, sustained rehabilitation will also depend on addressing the sources of sewage and other pollution entering the water system.
The walkabout brought together representatives from the Department of Water and Sanitation, the City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, the Lonehill Residents Association, the Jukskei Catchment Forum and ARMOUR NPO, including participants in its community Water and Waste Warrior Legacy programme. Local councillor David Foley also attended.
During the visit, Agricultural Research Council researcher, Dr Kyle van Heyde, who has been monitoring the dam’s water quality and sediment build-up, handed over water-testing kits to the residents’ association and community Water Warriors to support accurate water quality testing.
The data will feed into a larger water database to support education and knowledge about the quality of water across the city.
Partnerships
Bloom welcomed the progress, saying the project demonstrates what can be achieved when government, communities and the private sector work together.
“This is what I want to encourage: these public-private partnerships, and it is a model for elsewhere. This is a pilot project. If we can clean up this dam, you can clean up other dams, other waterways, and clean up all our rivers. This is quite exciting, and hopefully we replicate this elsewhere,” he said.
Amad said the city welcomes public-private partnerships and encourages active citizenry.
“We have embarked on a number of initiatives that have allowed for the adoption of facilities and public open spaces, expanding the reach and impact of municipal services, while creating opportunities for communities to participate in their own development. We believe stakeholder engagement fosters good governance and that by joining hands we can transform our city,” Amad said.
Odgers said the rehabilitation is helping restore the aquatic ecosystem with many partners, which enables more sensitive biodiversity to survive and thrive “as we digest the years of sludge and sewage.”
McClue emphasised the importance of addressing pollution at its source, saying “Any positive change at source makes an impact downstream.”
Lonehill Residents Association Environmental Manager Nadeem Abrahams said the project showed the value of the partnership between residents and the city.
“We have managed to bring the water back to life,” Abrahams said.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo Executive Manager for Environmental Conservation Lombard Shirindzi also welcomed the progress, describing the collaboration as a “well-functioning partnership”. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Original report at SAnews.gov.za.
