Sewage dumping into natural stream in Brackendowns
A sewer dumping into a natural stream in Brackendowns is polluting the natural waterways and wetlands in the area, posing a further risk to people using the stream.
For the past three weeks, I have been requesting the local water and sanitation department to come and unblock a drain. I have logged calls with the Ekurhuleni call centre and even visited the local offices in Swartkoppies to bring this matter to their attention.
It has all been to no avail. This is despite the call centre sending me messages that this issue has been resolved while at the water and sanitation offices, I am informed that they will send the team to unblock the drain.
This is a common phenomenon during the rainy season and after a heavy downpour one would regularly find these inspection holes emptying into the stream. Holes have purposefully been made into the sides of these inspection manholes to facilitate this.
It was said that the reason for this is that the volume of water coming down the sewer lines is more than what these pipes can carry. This is because residents of houses higher up in the neighbourhoods are directing their storm water into the sewer lines causing the volume of water to increase exponentially.
These lines and dimensions of the pipes were designed based on calculations in the 1980s and the infrastructure that it served at the time.
My concern other than the constant stench of living on a ‘pig farm’ is that this situation is polluting the natural waterways and wetlands. This stream runs across the Rand Water servitude adjacent to Kliprivier Road and eventually joins up with the Kliprivier behind the Swartkoppies pump station.
My concern lies with the number of people who make use of the water from this stream and river who now have to face the E. coli infections that are being introduced into it.
Theo van Zijl
CoE’s feedback
“The 300mm main sewer pipe running in the back of 39 Pendoring Street in Brackendowns has a capacity of 132 l/s and during peak hours the maximum flow should be 36l/s according to the current development upstream of the stand,” explained Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.
He said this means there is a 72.46% spare capacity on the current mainline installed in the 80’s with current developments.
“According to acceptable standards, we need 30% spare capacity to provide for infiltration that should not happen. Although it is illegal to allow storm and or rainwater to enter a sewer system, it happens frequently, and it is difficult to monitor it from the council’s side. The catchment area of this main sewer is from Meyersdal Mall through Brackenhurst to Brackendowns,” Dlamini stated.
He requested consumers not to allow storm or rainwater to enter a sewer system and to refrain from disposing of any foreign into the sewer system.
“Most of our sewer systems are situated in midblock and residents are reminded that no big, rooted trees or shrubs are allowed in or next to the sewer servitudes on the back boundaries of stands. This causes the capacity of our systems to be reduced because of root intrusion,” he said.
