The pumping, treatment and release of acid mine drainage (AMD) from the Witwatersrand Central basin AMD treatment plant, in Germiston, will start on May 12, State-owned entity the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) said on Friday.

The R319-million Central basin treatment plant, at which the AMD pumps were installed on March 14, formed part of the Department of Water Affairs’ short-term solution aimed at addressing current and near-future AMD risks.

Also included in the short-term solution, valued at R2.2-billion, were AMD treatment facilities in the Western basin, which had been operational since August 2012, and planned AMD treatment infrastructure for the Eastern basin for which a contract would soon be awarded.

From May 12 onwards, about 75%, or 63-million litres a day of the ultimate 84-million litres a day of treated water, would be released from the Central basin plant, with the full capacity expected to be reached by May 30.

The TCTA reiterated that the treated AMD would not be harmful to the end-users of the Elsburgspruit’s water.