Outcry over raw sewage leaking into Homestead

Ward councillors Malanie Haggard, Simon Lapping and André du Plessis are up in arms about the ongoing issue about raw sewage water leaking into Homestead Dam in Benoni.

It seems like a blocked manhole in a field in the vicinity of Atlas Road, near the dam, is overflowing and causing raw sewage to flow through wetlands into the dam.

The councillors also formulated an online petition that reads:

“We, the residents of Alphen Park, Farrarmere and surrounding Ekurhuleni suburbs, hereby petition the MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy, councillor Tiisetso Nketle, and the MMC for Infrastructure, Masele Madihlaba, to urgently address and resolve the failing sewerage infrastructure causing continual sewage spills into the wetlands which feed the Benoni lakes and dams.”

Haggard (Ward 28) said she regularly receives complaints about a stench coming from the dam at night and said it is affecting residents, fishermen, the rowing club and scouts, among other regular users of the facility and those who live nearby.

“The municipality should go further up and look at the infrastructure and fix the cause of the problem.

“This issue must be sorted out before the first rains, which will contribute to the flow. Water hyacinth is also an issue. The fact that spill is coming from Boksburg and Homestead Dam is in Benoni is also complicating matters.
“The issue is also chasing tourists away. Benoni used to be the City of Lakes and people would come from far to visit the dam,” she said.

According to Lapping (Ward 17), the sewage spill (which is in the vicinity of his ward) has been going on for a number of years and has been reported on numerous occasions.

“It’s clear that the municipality don’t have the capabilities to address the issue in a satisfactory manner,” Lapping said.

Du Plessis, Ward 23 councillor and DA shadow MMC for Environmental Development in Ekurhuleni, said sewage pollution is in contravention of the National Environmental Management Act, the National Water Act, and threatens the biodiversity of the environmentally sensitive ecosystem.

“The City of Ekurhuleni only treats the symptoms and not the cause of the problem. They unclog the manhole and then it just gets blocked again,” du Plessis said.

“After the sewage has gone towards the dam, the water flows into the Blesbokspruit, which eventually ends up in the Vaal catchment area, where we get our drinking water.”

Steven Lea, an experienced water scientist and water biologist, conducted a water analysis at his company’s laboratory to see if it was raw sewage or industrial waste entering Homestead Dam.

“The result proved it was domestic waste (sewage) that is entering the dam. The Homestead Dam is unsafe for anybody to use as it could cause diseases. It needs urgent attention from the municipality,” Lea, from Benoni, said.
Furthermore, he added the sewage also has a dire effect on the animal life at the dam.

Farrarmere resident Catherine Taxer said she is angry about the situation, adding that her dogs got sick after swimming in the dam about three weeks ago.

“My dogs were itching and couching terribly after they swam in the dam. I had to get them antibiotics. The fish are also in a bad condition and have changed colour due to the lack of nutrients,” she said.

She added that people used to take wedding pictures and held stork parties at the dam.

Chintan Patel, Farrarmere Community Precinct chairperson, said residents don’t want to see the infrastructure failing completely.

He said residents who would like to become involved may contact him on 084 244 8800.

In March, the metro’s spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, said for the 2019/20 financial year, R5.4-million has been allocated for the maintenance of lakes and dams.

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“This amount includes the four Benoni lakes,” Gadebe said.