Umbilo River turns blue
Residents in the surrounding areas say they have had enough of this problem.
THE residents around Marion Crescent have called for serious intervention with regard to the Umbilo River, which has been constantly polluted over the last two years.
The situation has moved from bad to worse, as the river turned Smurf blue near Young Place off Gillitts Road, and residents have said that enough is enough.
One of the residents, Neil Pearce, said for the past ten years they have been maintaining the park, which is near the river, with the help of eThekwini Municipality.
“We are a very small community, we look out for each other and the environment. We used to teach children golf in the park, but ever since this problem started, sometimes we can not even breathe because of the smell that comes from the river.”
Pearce said they suspect that the chemicals are coming from the factories in the area.
“Water is a precious resource, there used to be fish swimming in that river but now there is nothing. This country is already short of water, we should be reserving the little we have left.”
Mark Liptrot, chairman of uThekwane Conservancy, said he hopes that this problem will be resolved soon.
“The river level is very low and if this problem is not resolved, it will gradually go into Durban Harbour where this pollution will accumulate and will have dire consequences for fish and other wildlife there.”
Liptrot said this problem was reported a few months ago and according to reports, there was ‘no pollution found’.
The place where it is most visible is directly below the weir at New Gem Gardens, just before the river goes under the Mariannhill Road bridge. However, at the bridge a tributary joins the Umbilo. This is not a source of pollution at present. Perhaps the investigating officer looked at this stream instead and come to this conclusion.
“I checked both places and it looks like a sewage surcharge upstream, in the river that goes along Gillitts, not Mariannhill Road.”
Liptrot added that he also suspects that there is a company which is disposing of its chemicals in the river, as it has now turned blue.
The Highway Mail did try to get a response from the water department, but none had been received by the time of going to print.
