Thirty-three percent of Gauteng's new long-term acid mine drainage project will be funded by water users‚ with mines covering the remaining costs. Minister for Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane made this announcement on Wednesday when she launched the long-term solution at an acid mine draining facility in Germiston.Metros' poison pillThe people of Gauteng's Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Mogale City might have to pay a big part of the R10-billion bill for countering water pollution caused by acid run-offs from old mines. The combined costs of the project are currently estimated to range between R10 billion and R12 billion.'South Africa's biggest water pollution culprit is Government'The South African water sector is entering the early phase of a “perfect storm” driven by the convergence of significant drivers over which no individual has any direct control‚ says water expert Professor Anthony Turton. The costs to end-users will not only be passed on to households but to industry too‚ the minister said."We recognise that water users bear the burden of the environmental impacts and degradation of water resources‚ we also note that this initiative...benefits water users."It is fair therefore that some of the costs be included in water use charges‚ without placing the water users in a worse-off financial position than they would be if nothing was done‚" Mokonyane said.Mines will cover 67% of the costs under the "polluter pay" principle through a proposed environmental levy to be imposed on the mining sector.Mokonyane said there will not be a witch-hunt for old mining communities which contributed to the pollution of water in mining regions.Those mining houses which are still in existence will be pursued‚ however.The National Treasury will contribute R600 million per annum.The ultimate goal of the project is for the treated water to be used domestically and in industry‚ Mokonyane said.An environmental impact assessment will be completed by June 2017 and construction on the plants is due to begin in January 2018.The project acid mine drainage solution will be constructed and implemented by the state-owned Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA).The TCTA currently runs three acid mine drainage plants on the Witwatersrand...