Work sites get dusty. Whether it’s a mine, quarry, or large construction project, dust rises when trucks move, machines dig, or loads get dumped. And once dust is in the air, it spreads fast. It gets into machines, causes health problems, and can even stop work if it gets too thick to see through.
The most common way to control dust is by spraying water. But this only works for a short time. In hot or windy conditions, the water dries quickly, and dust comes back just as fast. Wasting water isn’t just bad for the environment it’s bad for the budget too.
So how do you keep dust levels low without overusing water? Here’s how smart sites are doing it.
Use Better Dust Suppression Products
Instead of spraying plain water all day, many teams use binders and wetting agents. These products help the water stick to the dust longer. They soak into the soil and hold fine particles in place. Some create a thin crust that stops dust from lifting in the wind or under tyres.
A well-chosen Dust Control treatment can last for days or even weeks, depending on traffic and weather. This means fewer trips from the water truck and a big cut in water use.
At one coal mine, the team started using a binder on main haul roads instead of just water. They went from spraying four times a day to just twice a week. The results were clear: better visibility, less fuel used by water trucks, and roads that held together longer.
Spray Only Where It Matters
Not every part of a site needs dust control. Focus on the high-risk spots: haul roads, crusher zones, loading points, and stockpile areas. These are where most of the dust is made.
Doing a site walk once a week helps teams see where water is needed and where it’s being wasted. At one operation, site managers marked off the worst areas and stopped spraying unused back roads. Water use dropped by 40 percent, and nobody noticed the change except the fuel bill.
Use Fog Cannons for Airborne Dust
When dust is already in the air, spraying the ground doesn’t help. That’s where Fog Cannons are useful. These machines spray a fine mist into the air that sticks to dust and brings it down.
They are great for high-traffic areas, especially where trucks tip, dump, or crush material. A fog cannon uses less water than a hose or sprinkler and covers more area. It’s also more precise, so you don’t soak the ground and turn work zones into mud.
One site near Rustenburg replaced water hoses with a fog system at its loading bay. The air stayed clearer, the trucks stopped slipping on wet ground, and water use went down by half.
Build Roads That Don’t Break Up
Dust comes from loose road material. If the surface breaks down, dust gets worse. Proper grading, compacting, and drainage make a big difference.
A strong Haul Road Management plan means fewer potholes, less loose gravel, and more stable ground. When roads are well made, trucks don’t throw up as much dust and you don’t need to spray as much water.
One gold mine in Gauteng added weekly grading and rolled down its main access road. Before the change, the water truck did five laps per shift. After the upgrade, they only needed two. That saved time, fuel, and water.
Don’t Let Slopes Wash Out
Loose soil on banks or spoil heaps causes dust when it dries out. But it also washes away in the rain, leaving bare ground that creates even more dust later.
A proper Erosion Control plan keeps soil in place. This might mean planting fast-growing grass, using mesh to hold the surface, or changing how stormwater drains off site.
One open-pit site shaped its spoil heaps to reduce water flow and added seeded mats. By the next dry season, they had less blowing dust from the slopes and didn’t need to spray the surrounding area as often.
Track What You Spend and Save
If you’re using less water, are you saving money? If you’re doing fewer water runs, are the trucks lasting longer? That’s where Added value quantification can help.
This method tracks the impact of each change. A contractor in Mpumalanga compared six months of water, diesel, and tyre costs before and after switching to binders and fog machines. They found a 25 percent cost drop, with better air quality on site.
This kind of tracking makes it easier to show results to management and get approval for new projects.
Make the Change Count
Water is a limited resource. Fuel isn’t cheap either. Keeping dust under control is not just about safety and compliance. It’s about running a cleaner, smoother site.
Use better products. Fix the roads. Protect the soil. And track your results. With the right plan, you can cut dust and water use at the same time.