Nature for water: exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century
The World Economic Forum has for the third year identified water, and especially water security and the liabilities of water pollution, as one of the top risks facing businesses. We’re not immune to this. Most of our operations in South Africa operate in water-scarce areas, and our fresh water withdrawals and the risk of polluted discharges have the potential to impact the water security of others. Anglo American is committed to being a responsible water steward, as stated in the new global sustainability strategy we launched in February 2018. Water resilience is important for the health and safety of our communities and the environment, as well as the success of our company.
Our strategy
In 2017, we launched a collaborative water strategy. “We have very clear priorities for our South African operations in terms of this strategy,” says Dr Johanita Kotze, Lead for Water: Africa and Australia. “We know that ensuring water security, working in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, and establishing cradle-to-grave infrastructure and improved operational excellence is crucial to our success.”
Dr Kotze goes on to explain that the strategy’s key enablers are “a regional approach, innovative technology to increase water conservation, demand management at our operations and in the municipalities where we operate, and trusted partnerships. Through these relationships, we intend to influence regional water planning to improve our stakeholders’ access to water. Our strategy is focused on the reduction of fresh water use, both in terms of reducing this absolutely and in terms of increasing the use of treated sewerage effluent at our operations.”
What are we doing?
Our efforts are already showing results. We’ve conducted needs and impact assessments on our catchment areas, and are finalising our water balance assessments. “This information will help us to prioritise the best capital projects that will reduce our operational risk and post-closure liabilities, and further our business plan and social licence to operate,” explains Dr Kotze. “We’re also working closely with our partners, including the Olifants River Joint Water Forum, the Premier’s council for employment in Limpopo, the Strategic Water Partners Network, Magalies Water, the Lebolelo Water User Association, the eMalahleni water treatment plant, the Mine Water Coordinating Body, Sedibeng and various local municipalities, to mention a few.”
In 2017 and into 2018, we also rolled out the new Anglo American Water Management Standard, which we complemented with a series of group-wide water initiatives. These included:
- Developing dynamic operational water balances and hydrogeological models to understand the water management priorities at each operation, to define water projects and to set stretch water targets
- Developing fit-for-purpose dewatering and depressurisation strategies for our opencast operations to achieve mine plans, manage excess water and increase slope stability
- Understanding our post-closure water liabilities and developing appropriate mitigation strategies during operation
- Assessing and piloting appropriate technology to improve water recycling and reuse in our tailings and processing water circuits.
Our recently launched global sustainability strategy also involves water-related stretch targets. In terms of this strategy, we’re committed to recycling and re- using 75% of our water by 2020, achieving zero discharges and reducing our fresh water intake by 50% by 2030. “To achieve these targets in the next 12 years, we need to understand the universal value of water, and we need to make important behavioural changes to our water management approach today,” says Dr Kotze.
Dealing with drought
With large portions of South Africa facing serious drought and water scarcity, these efforts all serve national water-saving objectives as well. Although the Western Cape, and Cape Town in particular, has received much of the media’s attention, it’s possible that taps will run dry in other parts of the country, too. These include areas where we operate.
In the water-scarce Northern Cape, our operations at Kumba are water positive and are net water providers to Sedibeng and other municipalities. This means that these operations are creating more water than they’re using. Our Coal SA operation in Witbank is also water positive and treats mine-impacted water at the eMalahleni water treatment plant, where it supplies water to the eMalahleni municipality. The plant will be extending its capacity from 28 megalitres a day to 50 megalitres a day in 2018.
All our platinum operations are also implementing important water-saving initiatives and improved operational water management measures to reduce their use of potable water. Mogalakwena leads water stewardship by using 99% treated sewerage effluent as water supply, and all of our operations in South Africa actively work with local municipalities to upgrade, maintain and sustain local water management infrastructure. De Beers’ Venetia mine, for example, is upgrading municipal infrastructure and decreasing its reliance on natural water sources in the area.
Saving water begins with you
In a country facing extreme water challenges, Cape Town’s widely publicised Day Zero is a reality for all of us. We all need to treat water with care and respect and to think carefully about the ways we can save it at work and at home. While our big industrial initiatives are important, we also need to be doing everything we can to save and recycle water in our personal capacities. What are you doing to protect this valuable resource?