Durban — EThekwini has been besieged with recent reports of sewage spills left unattended and pump failures at wastewater works that have contaminated beaches and rivers in Durban.
Now the industrial and residential areas of Pinetown are hoping to voice their concerns on the negative health implications of the leaks on Friday in a planned public meeting in Padfield Road by DA KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson on Environmental affairs MPL Heinz de Boer.
During a DA oversight inspection of the Umbilo River near Westmead, De Boer said an overflowing sewer manhole has discharged thousands of litres of effluent into the river since the April 2022 flood.
“This, while a totally destroyed sewerage pipe spills its contents into the watercourse of the Umbilo River that flows through dozens of neighbourhoods before discharging into the Durban Harbour.
“Adding to the disaster is evidence of dye substances also being discharged into the now broken sewerage system, further contaminating the water and riverbanks,” De Boer said.
Padfield Park resident Ruan Vrey said there was a foul smell in the air because of sewage problems.
“After a road was washed away, the river on Doone Road was not cleaned. A pipe was also leaking into the river. There are 27 homes on the road that want to voice their concerns. There are more than 800 houses paying more than R1 500 in rates a month.
“We want to know how the money is being spent. There’s an old-age home in the vicinity. One can’t walk in their properties. We’ve been abandoned. I encourage everyone to join the meeting and voice their concerns,” he said.
The government’s inability to channel much-needed infrastructure remedial funds to municipalities has resulted in massive fish and wildlife loss across KwaZulu-Natal, De Boer said.
“I’ve been contacted by residents in Pinetown saying nothing was done to address their concerns despite reporting sewer-related problems. People are affected by the stench. This is related to flood-damaged infrastructure that was not repaired. With the feedback, we’ll take it up to all levels, including national. Our aim is to unlock funding so repairs can be conducted,” he said.
The eThekwini Municipality head of Water and Sanitation, Ednick Msweli, said the city has a shortfall of R60 million to repair/rehabilitate/ reconstruct sewer pipes greater than or equal to 300mm diameter and also needed R20m for sewer pipes less than 300mm diameter.
Msweli said the city needs R50m for the pump station functional upgrades and R250m for wastewater treatment works repairs /rehabilitation/ refurbishment/ reconstruction.
Daily News