With South Africa’s growing demand for water – and the impact of climate change on rainfall variability and water supply security – the need for a systematic approach to water stewardship in mining has never been greater.
Water management has long been a focus in the mining sector, according to Lindsay Shand, associate partner, and principal environmental geologist at SRK Consulting. In 2014, for instance, the International Council on Mining and Metals’ water stewardship framework outlined a standardised approach for mining companies, recognising that water connects an operation to the surrounding landscape and communities.
“In our past work with mining clients, SRK often only addressed a particular challenge or project, rather than taking the broader view,” said Shand.
“There is today, however, a growing recognition that a high-level, concerted approach to water stewardship is not only the environmentally responsible route to take, but also contributes to building the resilience of the mining operation.”
This resilience lies in the ability to identify and manage the myriad of water-related risks that operations face, she said. These might include water supply uncertainty, compliance issues related to water quality, and downstream discharge impacts.
A water stewardship approach can provide the foundation for pro-active planning and action to avoid incidents that could threaten operational continuity or even viability and present a liability to downstream water users.
Tools for progress
While the focus for mining operations is generally on the specific challenge at hand, the larger corporations are starting to see the value of the bigger picture on water-related issues, concurred Fiona Sutton, principal consultant at SRK Consulting.
“Often, the scope and demands of water stewardship may seem a daunting prospect at operational level,” said Sutton. “This is one of the reasons why best practice tools are so useful, such as the International Water Stewardship Standard from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS*).”
She highlighted that the AWS Standard offers a globally applicable framework for major water users to understand their catchment and their own water use and impacts, with practical guidance on how to effectively manage these impacts.
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