SAVE making strides to tackle water lettuce in the Vaal River

VAAL TRIANGLE - Through a collaborative effort involving local communities, government bodies, and corporate sponsors, Save the Vaal Environment (SAVE) is successfully combating the invasive water lettuce in the Vaal River. This invasive plant, which first appeared in the river just three years ago, has now spread to cover 25km of the waterway, posing a serious threat to the ecosystem and the millions who depend on the Vaal River System for their water supply. Good Things Guy reports a representative of SAVE, Derek Holmes, says with the water lettuce growing a third of its volume every month, time is of the essence. Holmes says during winter, mature water lettuce wilts and dies, but not before producing copious amounts of seeds. These buoyant seeds will float further downstream and when temperatures exceed 20°C, they will bloom at an uncontrollable rate. Holmes said the donations received from Weelee and LottoStar allow them to tackle this national crisis with more manpower and machinery. He said while this will not completely eradicate water lettuce from the Vaal, it will curb it to a controllable level so that future infestations can be dealt with through the deployment of weevils, for example. For those looking to contribute or get involved, SAVE encourages reaching out via save@save.org.za.

PHOTO: (SAVE)