RAND WATER ANNUAL REPORT 2023

HOW WE CREATE VALUE

Managing our Natural Capital through “Water Saving Initiatives” Rand Water actively participates in a range of initiatives that contribute to environmental sustainability and development through Water Wise initiatives. These initiatives include research on environmental and water conservation, water conservation awareness campaigns, presentations at forums and conferences, vigorous social media engagement, and ongoing collaborations with stakeholders in the industry. The main aim of these initiatives is to promote the critical message of water conservation, ensuring the protection of our vital natural resources and reducing our overall environmental impact. By encouraging water wise behaviour, these activities also play a role in mitigating the potential effects of water loss due to climate change. The promotion of water conservation by Water Wise holds a fundamental function, contributing significantly to the reduction in water loss and overall water demand. Rand Water worked closely with several internal and external stakeholders (including the South African National Biodiversity Institute, Goldfield mine, WESA, Pick It Up) to execute several events aimed at providing water conservation and environmental awareness. A total of 17 events were implemented internally and externally. These events included the National Water Week, the World Wetlands Day, the World Environment Day and so forth. The Water Wise team oversees the management of three (3) captivating display gardens: the Vereeniging Water Wise Garden, along with two (2) SANBI gardens, namely, the Water Wise Garden at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden (PNBG) and the Water Wise Garden at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden (WSNBG). These display gardens serve as practical examples to showcase water wise landscape and gardening practices to the public. Each garden was thoughtfully designed and developed to demonstrate how sustainable water management can be integrated into landscaping and gardening. Through Water Wise, Rand Water has collaborated with the South African Green Industry Council (SAGIC) to promote water conservation practices within the Green Industry. In June 2023, Water Wise had the honour of presenting the prestigious Best Water Wise Landscape trophy during the SAGIC convention. The deserving recipient of this recognition was Blue Wood Landscaping, commended for their innovative and creative water wise design.

Water quality in the Barrage Reservoir has deteriorated to the point where it cannot be treated to the required drinking water standards with the conventional treatment processes. Water lettuce ( Pistia sp ) that had infested the reservoir in 2022 is still persistent in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir. Winter does kill the plant infestation off. However, it thrives again in the warmer months due to the high nutrients load in the Vaal Barrage Reservoir.

Water lettuce in a segment of the Leeuspruit

Water lettuce infestation on the Barrage Reservoir The more challenging issue for water quality management is that of controlling diffuse source water pollution. Diffuse source water pollution is caused when pollutants from a range of dispersed urban and rural land use activities contaminate our waterways. In this regard, the biological impact of uncontrolled wastewater runoff from informal settlements, burst pipes due to lack of maintenance, and general lack of waste management has resulted in a major deterioration in biological water quality over the year. The occurrence of excessively high numbers of E. coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts in all the tributaries of the Barrage is a major cause for concern. In the Rietspruit River, which runs into the Loch Vaal, protozoan parasite numbers have shown a significant increase over the last six (6) years. In line with its Water Quality Management System, Rand Water continuously monitors the catchment and informs Rand Water operations and stakeholders of raw water risks.

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