Raw sewage flows unchecked in Marlands

Raw sewage is still flowing unabated into the vlei in Marlands, and residents don’t know where to turn for help.

The problem with the sewerage line has been going on since 2013 (GCN, September 13) and it seems there is no solution in sight.

The vlei is situated in the park bordering Pine, Wit and De Villiers streets.

The GCN chatted to Richard Bennett, who said residents on the properties adjacent to the vlei, in De Villiers Street, are at their wits end.

“There is also a paintball range nearby, where children play all the time, and this raw sewage is an E coli outbreak waiting to happen,” he said.

“This is quite an old, municipal pipe, which the metro has just not maintained for years and has shown little interest in.”

Bennett added that the metro has been contacted numerous times since 2013 and eventually sent out some people to look at the problem at the beginning of September.

“The team left without even approaching the pipe, never mind making the slightest attempt to fix it,” he said.

“It appears they are reluctant to fix their own problem, and seem to have forgotten that residents pay a sewerage levy to resolve this type of problem.

“With spring here and the weather being very warm, the stench is disgusting and people throughout the area have to endure this night and day, including while they are sleeping and socialising with visitors.

“Of greatest concern is that this untreated sewage poses a severe health hazard.

“There are people living almost right on top of the broken municipal pipe, and children play in the area.

“The paintball and shooting ranges are just adjacent to this morass, which is inevitably spreading along the open land and vlei; it will reach the streets before long.”

Bennett added that it should not take the metro long to repair the pipe.

“The metro not fixing its own sewerage pipe for months on end means they are breaking every one of their own health regulations and are contravening the fundamental provisions of the Bill of Rights — the right to a healthy environment,” he said.

Ross Jordan contacted the GCN in July, about the fact that the pipe was leaking again, and we immediately asked the metro for comment on the matter.

We received no response until September 17.

In the 2013 article the metro said that a contractor had been appointed to replace the section of the pipe crossing the vlei and that once the pipes were received, which would take four weeks, work would begin – this has obviously not happened.

Themba Gadebe, the spokesman for the metro said: “This line is a 150mm clay pipe with plastic collars, the photos sent to us are of a proposed connection point and the other is of a non-existent collar.

“During winter the overgrown reeds were set on fire and, due to the heat and flames, the plastic collars melted and some of the clay pipes cracked.

“Clay pipes with the collars are no longer available on the market.

“We, therefore, joined the one pipe and turned the connection to an upright position in order for the sewerage not to overflow.

“The rest of the damaged/burned joints, although not leaking at present, will be replaced as soon as the material and tools to strap the pipes with zinc strips with rubber linings are delivered.

“Progress in this regard is expected by early next week.

“The metro thanks the resident for reporting the damage to the pipes and for the cutting of the reeds.”