eThekwini halfway in restoring pump stations damaged by April floods

The eThekwini Municipality says six out of the 12 pump stations affected by the April floods have been completely restored.

These are the pump stations that that been impacting the quality of water in beaches and rivers in the eThekwini region.

eThekwini Municipality

According to the eThekwini Municipality, between November and December 10, two pump stations were restored.

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These were Kingsway 2 and Ellock, which impacted Winklespruit Beach, Athlone Drive and Laguna Beach, which also affected the Blue Lagoon, Ohlanga and the northern beaches, including Umhlanga, Ohlange River and Westbrook.

Pump stations yet to be completed, that, according to the city, would be finalised by the end of December are: Johanna Road and Temple Road, which affects central beach and Umgeni River, Canelands 1 -3, Wick Street and Star Street, which affects Umdloti, Westbrook and La Mercy beaches and Armstrong, affecting La Mercy beach.

Founder of environmental organisation Adopt-A-River, Janet Simpkins, said the wait for the Johanna Road pump station to be fixed spans from before the April floods.

“We have been waiting longer than three years for the municipality to fix Johanna Road. It would be absolutely wonderful if, in this short space of time, they get it right.”

Simpkins said the acid test was whether the effluent reaches the Northern Water Treatment Works and was processed rather than diverting to rivers, adding that tests she had done with Talbot last week did not show any change in the treating of effluent from the northern areas or the riverside area.

DA spokesperson on Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs,

DA spokesperson on Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Heinz de Boer, said any work done to repair storm-damaged infrastructure was welcomed. However, the City should rather stop blowing its own trumpet and “get cracking on the other massive repairs which are making people’s lives a misery”.

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De Boer added that the city was not doing its residents any favours by completing repairs as they are constitutionally mandated to do so.

“Of concern are the western areas like Pinetown, township areas across the city and Phoenix.

Pinetown had kilometres of pipes destroyed with that effluent running into the Palmiet and Umbilo rivers. Phoenix has a major pipe that was, until recently, still discharging massive amounts into the river and sea

De Boer cautioned that people should not be misled by just E. coli level readings ,as they are just one indicator of the state of the water.

There are many other factors like chemicals, heavy metals, mercury, and other waterborne diseases that should be tested for as well.