South Africa: Lesotho Highlands Water Project Contractor Suspended for Polluting Rivers

1,400 workers sent home as work on 38km tunnel stalls

• Kopano Ke Matla Joint Venture, responsible for building a 38-km tunnel connecting two dams in the Lesotho highlands, has had to suspend operations.
• Inspections revealed that the company’s wastewater treatment plants are non-compliant.
• Oily and acidic wastewater has been dumped into rivers relied on by rural communities, and into the Katse reservoir which provides drinking water to South Africa.
• The company has until 26 May to resolve the…