After several months of sewage overflowing into a Highway Gardens property, the City of Ekurhuleni has dealt with the cause of the problem.
Also read: Raw sewage leaves a stink as resident fears for the health of his family
The NEWS reported on April 4 on raw sewage flowing out of a municipal manhole and into Zayne Kerr’s back garden since August last year.
Kerr said whenever the sewerage line became blocked, sewage would flood his garden.
Also read: Sewage pollutes Gilloolly’s Dam
At the time Kerr, an expecting father, highlighted concerns about the health risks the sewage posed to his then-pregnant wife.
Kerr told the NEWS that to stop the flow of sewage into his property, workers from the CoE broke a sewerage pipe.
The sewage was then diverted into a nearby stormwater servitude.
Themba Gadebe, the CoE spokesperson, said no permission was given by the municipality to break the sewerage infrastructure.
“The pipe probably broke during a recent flood and was repaired on the same day,” said Gadebe.
Gadebe said the reason Kerr’s garden was frequently flooded with sewage was because of a broken pipe further down the line.
“The system had partially collapsed and blocked the line.”
Although sewage had flown into the servitude, the water could not be treated.
“Water can only be treated if it is stagnant. The polluted water has been washed away further downstream,” said Gadebe.
“The contaminated water will be cleaned by means of natural processes of filtration and UV disinfection.”
He said because sewage does contain harmful bacteria, anyone with a weekend immune system can contract a disease.
The illnesses and disorders which one can contract from sewage ranges from being minor to life-threatening.
“Pregnant women are likely to be more at risk of contracting illnesses or infections in general,” said Gadebe.
Some diseases one could contract from sewage include:
• Salmonellosis
• Shigellosis
• Trachoma
• Melioidosis
• Gastroenteritis
• Hepatitis A
• Campylobacteriosis
• Giardiasis
• Dwarf tapeworm infection
• Threadworm infection
• Hookworm infection
• Strongyloidiasis.
“An individual has to directly or indirectly come into contact with these disease-causing viruses, bacteria and parasites from raw sewage to fall ill.”
Following repair work of the sewerage line, the municipality believes that there will be no more sewage overflows into Kerr’s back garden.
For more news and interesting articles, like Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
