Water prices for South Africans could in the near future quadruple as a result of the escalating pollution of the country's water resources by the country's mining industry.

"If we don’t find a special development where we can mine without affecting water resources, the prices of water will go up. Someone will need to pay for either the treatment of water or getting more water, and I believe that person is the consumer," said Koos Pretorius of the Federation for a Sustainable Environment.

Pretorius, who was speaking on the sidelines of the AgriSA's Water Conference in Kempton park, said the sad reality was between 30 and 40 percent of South Africa's power utility Eskom’s electricity generation was still reliant on coal.

"We are mining sensitive areas where there is a conflict of interest between mining, agricultural production and the quality of water. We need to move away from this urgently," Pretorius said.

The farming community had been complaining that it was carrying the costs of water pollution because water fetched from rivers contained heavy metals that accumulated in produce.

Article Continues: IOL

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written by Simisha , August 17, 2010

Its sad the the price will be passed over when the mines are the real culprits, however, with that said, only when the cost of water and other precious resources become cost reflective, will it be conserved and appreciated.

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