GOV’T & G.R.M.I.L AGREED TO DISCHARGE UNTREATED WATER FROM DAM

The dam currently. Photo credit: MECDM.

The Ministry of Environment and Conservation and the Gold Ridge Mining Limited GRML have agreed to discharge the level of untreated water in the Gold Ridge Tailing dam within 47 consecutive days.

This is to reduce the danger of uncontrolled overflow of water to the Gold Ridge downstream communities.

Chair of the National Disaster Council Dr Melchoir Mataki told members of the media, GRML and the Ministry of Environment and Conservation have agreed to pump out 500 cubic meters per hour.

Dr Mataki said the volume and rate of the pump will reduce the water level by two centimetres per day.

“The Director of Environment has asked them to reduce it down to 500 Cubic metres per hour. This is just to ensure that the pumping is not too vigorous, but it’s not too different as well from previous discharge operations; so that’s the reason why it comes to about 47 days. So in essence, if without any rainfall if we pump at the rate of about 500 Cubic metres per hour then that’s almost like reducing the water level by about two centimetres every day for 47 days.”