Mend the Molweni project in progress
Highway Conservancies join forces to mend the Molweni River.
SUCCESSFULLY launching the Mend the Molweni Project about a month ago, the Kloof Conservancy gives an update on the recent happenings of the project. The project is the brain child of three conservancies, Kloof, Hillcrest and Everton, with the aim of addressing ongoing sewage spillage problems. The project is run by volunteers from these conservancies in partnership with eThekwini Municipality to address the sewerage and river health problems in Hillcrest.
Also read: Upper Highway conservancies tackle sewage issues
Launching the project, the project organisers said the sewage is a concern as it eventually finds its way into the stormwater system and subsequently into the Molweni River which flows from Hillcrest, through Everton, Kloof and Lower Molweni before joining the uMngeni River.
Reporting back on their progress so far, Kloof Conservancy chairman Paolo Candotti said it has been good with only one significant problem with a new spot in the basement area at Hillcrest Corner.
“Our eco-champ, Hlengiwe Magwaza, continues her daily monitoring of 16 sites in the Hillcrest CBD, and issues are addressed very quickly by the EWS teams.
“On Wednesday, December 13, we were alerted to a sewage problem on the site. This is a site we have not previously inspected, and we need to do a bit more work to trace the source that is causing the blockage. The sewage has been overflowing into the underground stormwater system and appears to ‘pop up’ in Springside Road, and from there, it is flowing into the Molweni River in Springside Nature Reserve at the MtM site 6, which we call the gabion weir site.
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“The blockage at Hillcrest Corner has been cleared, but the team is working on finding out why there was a blockage there. This site has been problem-free since June, coinciding with Hillcrest Corner management taking committed action to ensure tenants comply with waste management (especially FOG) by-laws,” he explained.
The community is invited to support the project by making a donation. More information is available on the Kloof Conservancy Facebook page.
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