Sewage leaves a bad smell in the air for First Avenue residents in Edenvale
“We are bringing diseases and terrible smells into our homes and the village.”
Sewage flowing down First Avenue has Leisure View resident up in arms.
Residents from the retirement village contacted the NEWS to speak about the recurring problem.
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Trustee member of the village Bruce Archer said sewage flows down First Avenue almost every two months.
“Every time it happens we have to drive through the sewage and into our garages,” said Archer.
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“We are bringing diseases and terrible smells into our homes and the village.”
Archer said at times the sewage flowing down the road is a foot deep at some points.
When the sewage is deep Archer and other residents are forced to drive slowly.
“If there are other vehicles on the road I stop otherwise my car is splashed with sewage.”
Douglas Smith, the complex manager of the village, said leaking sewage has been a problem for more than seven years.
“Every time it occurs we call the municipality but then a few months later the problem reoccurs,” said Smith.
Smith believes the sewerage pipe is too small for the amount of sewage flowing through it.
He said when there is too much sewage in the pipes, it flows out of the manholes and on to the roads.
In addition to the sewage flowing down the road, two open manholes have Archer and Smith concerned.
“Someone walking along First Avenue could fall down into the manhole and injure themselves,” said Archer.
Smith last reported the sewage on February 2.
He said on February 3 at 10pm sewage was still flowing down the road.
The next day at 5.30am it had stopped.
“The sewage just stopped flowing. We’re not sure if the municipality did attend to the matter,” said Smith.
“We hope it won’t occur in the future.”
A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni on February 7 requesting comment by February 9 at 10am.
At the time of going to print no comment had been received.
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