The municipal sewer line in fifth avenue that has been overflowing constantly into their home for over a year, is resulting in thousands of rand worth of damage.
CAPE TOWN - The executor of a family property in Grassy Park says the municipal sewer line in fifth avenue that has been overflowing constantly into their home for over a year, is resulting in thousands of rand worth of damage.
Executor for the estate, James Mentor said: “It has reached a point where the tenants in the property had to vacate due to the occasional overflow of the council’s sewer line running across the property flowing into the house, down the passage, kitchen, main bedroom and the bathroom over the last few months.
“I think the infrastructure of that sewer line was never built to hold as many people and it had never been upgraded. We reported the matter to the various city officials but have had no further feedback. What this has brought about is a loss in rental income for the estate and claims from the tenants of R28 000 for having to clean up after the mess and find alternative accommodation.”
He added that their insurance also refused to repair damages to the kitchen, saying they did not cover damage caused by municipal pipes.
“It has been very frustrating, we did not bargain for this,” said Mentor.
He said they were looking at claiming damages from the City for the financial losses the estate had suffered.
The City said they would make arrangements to clean the affected sewer but did not provide a timeline.
Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien said: “The City’s Water and Sanitation Department will make arrangements to clean the affected sewer line as the tender for that service has been approved. Once completed, the CCV inspection will take place to establish whether there are any structural defects on the pipe. Repairs to this pipe will be carried out, if need be.
“Sewer blockages in the catchment are mainly caused by foreign objects, such as rags, fat, paper and stones, which enter the sewers by what residents are flushing, pouring down sinks or putting into open manholes. The department will engage with the pollution control branch to ensure that fat from food outlets in the vicinity of the Caltex Garage is not being discharged into our sewer system.”
He added that the culture of dumping foreign objects in the sewers stops, theft of manhole covers and illegal connections to the sewer and stormwater systems also resulted in spillages.
“These illegal connections compromise original design capacity and obviously will result in spillages,” said Badroodien.
Cape Times