EMM fails to fix overwhelming sewerage problem
Jackson Dam has been struggling with sewage flowing into it intermittently for years, say residents.
JACKSON Dam in Brackenhurst has been taking much strain, with sewage flowing into it intermittently for years, say local residents who have now had enough.
Michael Reece, the owner of a property in Jackson Street, said the situation has been a dire one for three or four years now and that the municipality only treats the symptoms, not the underlying cause of the problem.
“First of all, I rent out my property and I now stand to lose that income because my tenants want to leave and there is no way I will be able to get new ones as long as this problem persists,” said Reece. “I think many of the problems started with the new flats up the road – the infrastructure is just not adequate and the owners, residents and the dam and all its visitors are suffering, not to mention the tax-payers who have to keep forking out,” he added.
Not only is sewage overflowing into the dam but it also spills over into private properties close to the dam and according to tenants and owners, the smell is unbearable and it poses an extreme health risk.
Read: Jackson Dam could be thriving wetland
The RECORD previously reported on the issues at the dam and all the fish in the dam having to be replaced, as well as the unbearable smell and health risks faced by all in the vicinity.
The tenant of Michael Reece’s house said that she sees children playing in the water and dogs being walked at the dam.
“I can’t let my dogs go outside because of the mess in the property and they will go out and bring in that filth, jump on the beds, and so forth, not to mention that they could get sick and even die and this smell is truly disgusting,” she said. “This is no way to live,” added the distraught woman.
When the RECORD approached the EMM for comment the following was received: “Two blockages were reported at the address mentioned in Jackson Street since the beginning of the year and attended to shortly after reported. The first was on January 31 and the second was on April 18.” said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
Also Read: More than 100 dead fish found in Jackson Dam
“Both were due to the roots from trees next to the line. The line was cleaned with a jet truck on April 20 to prevent a re-occurrence of it. Remarks that nothing is being done are totally untrue,” he added.
No answer was given by the municipality to the allegations that the sewage has been an intermittent problem for years, nor to the question of why they are not addressing the alleged underlying issues, which according to residents are caused by the block of flats and the fact that the system can’t handle the load.
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