WaterCan says ‘our rivers are under threat’
Results of water tests conducted by the network showed high levels of pollution present.
A network of community activists has sounded the alarm over ongoing sewage spills polluting the Klein Jukskei River.
According to Dr Ferrial Adam, the executive manager of Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) initiative called WaterCan, a meeting was held on March 9 between Joburg Water and the affected residents, but did not yield any immediate solutions.
Adam, WaterCan’s water and environment manager, believes unhealthy rivers, threatened by waste and sewage are becoming the norm. “Our rivers are under threat and there is a lack of urgency to deal with sewage spills into our water. It is not acceptable for the government to allow this spillage to continue for years,” said Adam.
Adam said she conducted the last tests at the Klein Jukskei River near the Zandspruit pump station on March 8. The results indicate critical levels of E.coli from sewage. Ecoli upstream was 64000 CFU/100ml, and downstream of the pump station was over 100 000 CFU/100ml, which can be regarded as raw sewage and is not healthy for people and animals.
Julian Walker, a Chartwell resident who lives near the Zandspruit pump station said urgent intervention and investigations are needed. “The sewage has been spilling into our rivers for years now.”
The water quality poses a risk to the aquatic wildlife and the health of people who use the water to irrigate their food gardens or eat fish caught in the polluted waters.
WaterCan is embarking on a campaign to test the water in key reservoirs within the municipality.
Joburg Water external communication officer Nolwazi Dhlamini said they are aware of sewer spillages. “The spillage is not a result of the malfunction of the pump station, which has been recently refurbished and upgraded to ensure efficient operability.
“The main pump station has two pump stations within it that pump sewage along two separate rising main lines, the PVC line via pump station 1 (ZPS 1) which is fully operational with two pumps currently running.
“However, ZPS 2, which also has two pumps, has been switched off due to the high outflow that cannot be handled by the fragile line on Inchanga Road in Craighavon, causing constant breakages on the main steel pipeline along Inchanga Road.”
Dhlamini added that Joburg Water has ‘all urgent intentions to remedy the situation’. “However, there is a process of troubleshooting to determine the exact cause of the blockage on the Inchanga Line.
“Once the cause is found and remedied through physical intervention, the ZPS 2 pumps will operate again to avoid spilling at the pump station.”
She concluded that there was no fixed completion time but it is ‘being interrogated daily towards resolution’.
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