Ambatovy recently welcomed the newly-formed Inter-Ministerial Water Committee, which visited Toamasina to assess water resources. The Committee, led by the Director General of the Ministry of Water, visited Ambatovy in order to find out more about Ambatovy’s activitites and its potential impacts.
Comprising of the Ministries of Water, Environment, Public Health and Population, and three laboratories – the National Centre for Environmental Research (CNRE, in French), the National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) and the public water and electricity company (JIRAMA) – the Water Committee has been set up to ensure the protection of water resources in Toamasina.
Water experts from Ambatovy and the Committee carried out a joint water sampling campaign on May 31 and June 1 2012 to confirm that Ambatovy is not impacting the local water quality. Scientists and technicians took water samples at agreed locations, including along the Ranomainty River, which supplies water to Toamasina. In addition, local people were asked whether they had any concerns about local water supplies.
A total of 11 samples were collected and subsequently analysed by the three laboratories and Ambatovy, each performing their own analysis and measuring the results against predetermined parameters.
The results from the laboratories have yet to be disclosed, however Ambatovy’s results showed no evidence of any negative impacts on surrounding areas.
As the largest foreign investment in Madagascar, Ambatovy prides itself on being committed to upholding stringent national and international environmental and social standards. Its policies reflect this commitment to ensuring its activities are aligned with health, safety, social, environmental and production standards. Ambatovy’s government-approved Environmental Management and Social Development Plan (PGEDS, in French) provides the framework to ensure that all issues identified during the environmental management and social impact assessment are addressed through appropriate mitigation and follow-up.
