The genesis of this project sprung from Unilever’s commitment to implement Water Stewardship Programs in 100 sites situated in Water Stressed locations by 2030.
As a result of Unilever’s commitment to water stewardship*, the project site was selected for a water stewardship intervention to be piloted at site level in Boksburg, Gauteng and was to include an assessment of a possible catchment level intervention too.
The outputs initially understood to be delivered by this pilot on an adjoining parcel of land to that of the Unilever Boksburg operation were through a co-benefit approach that would deliver:
- 32 hectares of land cleared from invasive alien plant species;
- An undetermined (no targets were given) amount of water released; and
- Employment created for the local community.
An additional, agreed output was the compilation of a case study on upper catchment stewardship action, aligned with the vision of the intervention, namely the Upper Vaal Water Stewardship Action.
The project site was identified adjacent to the Unilever Boksburg (Gates) operations. This is connected to the Elsburgspruit, which flows into the Blesbokspruit, which flows into the Suikerbosrand River, which flows into the Vaal River.
The pilot project:
- Cleared 33 hectares of land (of which 75% was covered in invasive alien plants. 75% extent of coverage falls into the high infestation category)
- Has provided an approximate 83m3 of water (calculated using the IAP Water Impact Calculator tool) into the catchment that Unilever draws on through the Rand Water Palmiet Pumping Station to the South-west of the Unilever operations
- Provided an initial 15 jobs (the clearing activity ended off with 11) for the local community
- Provided skills training in first aid, Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) and invasive alien species eradication methods to local community participants
- Was reported against Alliance for Water Stewardship Indicators
- Provides the foundation for an inspiring vision for the Boksburg area – both on site and as the provision for an ecological corridor
*Unilever is a member of the Alliance for Water Stewardship and a member and signatory of the CEO Water Mandate. Unilever does not strive for certification against the AWS Standard but follows the principles of good water stewardship.