110% Green provides a platform for people to get involved in practical actions in ways that connect green and the economy. This year, 110% Green decided to roll out certain themes, and one of those themes is innovation. With the help of biomimicrysa, the Genius of Place project has been established to identify locally relevant and innovative solutions from nature for the high levels of pollution in the Berg River.
The first step in this process was to visit various sites throughout the Cape Winelands that affect the wellbeing of the Berg River system in one way or another. The first stopover was in Franschhoek. We viewed the current wastewater treatment works, and tried to understand the challenges the Municipality faces trying to deal with winter rainfall storm surges.
We then walked up the road to visit Langrug informal settlement, to observe first-hand the infrastructure of the waterworks in the township and the difficulties that surround it.
We came across infrastructure in Langrug informal settlement that was broken and added to the pollution problem for the community.
We were guided through the messy deposits of a pollution-infested stream, mottled with plastic and bottles, viscous, smelly and dark-grey in character. Waste gets put into these informal outlets, and lacks any type of treatment whatsoever, making them cesspools of disease with high levels of E. coli and bacteria. This source of water could be used to irrigate open fields on the outskirts of the informal settlement.
This river runs through the informal settlement and provides opportunities for biomimicry intervention.
This opens numerous options in the line of 'Genius of Place', where for example certain plant species can be introduced as biofilters to help absorb excess pollutants within this small stream, which eventually makes its way into the bigger river systems further down the valley.
This outing served to assist in identifying the source of the problems, so that the biomimicry sa team can determine whether biomimicry solutions to these key challenges may be feasible.
We will post on the blog as soon as innovative solutions have been identified. Watch this space.