THE Drakenstein Municipality appointed Aurecon Consulting Engineers during 2010 to investigate the condition of the Spruit, Leeu and Krom Rivers in Wellington and the Palmiet River in Paarl from an environmental and engineering perspective, following flood damage.
Although short term repairs by riparian owners are allowed in the interim, such repairs may require building plan approval.
The investigation can be seen as the second phase of the Drakenstein River Environmental Management Plan completed in 2009, says municipal spokesperson May Carolissen.
“There will be subsequent phases as other rivers and tributaries are investigated.”
The first part of the second phase was for information gathering from all interested and affected parties and is available from the Market Street municipal offices.
Rough estimates could be made of the potential costs involved.
The next part will entail the detailed survey and design of remedial works for specific reaches of the rivers under investigation so as to rehabilitate the rivers and alleviate some of the future flood risk.
The rough estimate for the detailed survey, design and plans is R5m and the remedial work is estimated at R50m.
It must be emphasised that none of the legislation that controls the actions of people in the vicinity of rivers is a function of the Municipality, it falls broadly between two authorities; Environmental Affairs (Department: Environmental Affairs & Development Planning) and Water Affairs ( Department of Environmental and Water Affairs).
The Municipality may not carry out any work on private property along the river bank which is not a municipal function.
Approval of the actual construction work has to be approved by the Municipality’s Building Control Officer once environmental authorisation has been obtained.
To allow new or improved works on the banks of the affected rivers, a detailed study and preliminary engineering drawings are required, which will have to be budgeted for in future financial years (R5m).
This will take approximately a year to complete once funds are available (only R400 000 has been made available for the next three years 2011/12 to 2013/14).
In addition, detailed impact studies as required by the environmental legislation. This will take approximately six months to complete.
The completed studies must be submitted to Environmental Affairs and Water Affairs for authorisation and licensing. This could take up to 18 months (the water use licence could take longer).
The rough estimated cost of the works is in the order of R50m and this will be a multi-year project as and when funds are available both from private owners for the work on their respective properties and for the works on municipal property.
All riparian owners have been informed that as a short term solution they may repair/reconstruct the existing river bank protection that has been damaged until such time that the above process is complete.
Some of the works planned may require building plan approval if there is no existing approval.
Any other works i.e extension of or upgrading of existing works will require full authorisation and approval.
The clearing of alien vegetation is required by legislation (Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act controlled by Department of Agriculture) and must be carried out by the riparian owner in such a manner so as not to do any damage to the rest of the river bank (i.e the work must be carried out by hand by people that are properly trained in such work).
All other rubbish and debris must also be cleared by the riparian owner in/on who’s portion of river it is located, and this work must also be done in such a manner so as not to damage the rest of the river and river banks.
Should a riparian owner not wish to be part of the full process they are entitled to initiate their own process to obtain authorisation for any work they deem to be necessary on their portion of river bank (i.e environmental authorisation, water use licence, building plan approval - this will all take two years plus to achieve) and then proceed with construction.
May Carolissen
Spokesperson Drakenstein Municipality
