Pollution poisons waterways in Ekurhuleni

If the state of the waterways at Gillooly’s Farm in Ekurhuleni is a foreshadow of South Africa’s future water security problems, the country is in for a rough ride.

Floating human excrement and nauseating filth pollute the water in the park that feeds into major Gauteng water arteries, including the Jukskei River and downstream the Crocodile River and Hartbeespoort Dam.

The authorities are not bothered by it.

Pollution problem

A resident, Amanda Pote, said the situation had become worse since The Citizen first reported on the growing health and environmental risk a year ago.

When inspecting the area, the writer stopped counting at 200 pieces of faeces in the water. At times, areas of the dam resembled a fizzy drink as methane gas bubbled to the surface.

“The stinky stench in the air is indicative that it’s from the sediment and layers of pollution that have formed on the dam’s bed over the years, after multiple environmental disasters that have gone unaddressed,” Pote said.

Pote warned that the pollution poses serious health and environmental risks, particularly during the rainy season, when toxic sludge islands can form along the river that could spread more contamination further downstream.

Gillooly’s dam flows into the Jukskei River, which is already highly polluted.

“There are clumps of crusty dried sewage sludge that then combine with the pollution on the sides of the river.

“And then we have these crusty islands of toxic sludge appearing,” Pote said.

ALSO READ: AfriForum commissions laboratory to test Stellenbosch water amid sewage dumping

Hundreds of fish die as water has high levels of pollution

The Jukskei River’s source is a few kilometres upstream, in Johannesburg’s Bertrams suburb.

It flows through Bruma and then via Ekurhuleni back into Johannesburg through Alexandra and later Sandton.

“I often head over to Bruma where mountains of scum appear on the river and the flow picks up tons of waste as it runs into Gillooly’s,” said Pote.

In August, hundreds of fish died downstream.

A report by Joburg environment and infrastructure services department on the downstream water quality released on Monday showed high levels of pollution including organic pollutants, nutrients and E. coli, which all pose serious health risks to both the ecosystem and human activities involving contact with the water.

The report recommended immediate action to avert a worsening crisis.

Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the city washed its hands of the cause of the pollution.

“Though Gillooly’s Farm and the Jukskei River are in our area, or pass through our metro, the pollution must come from the City of Joburg side.”

ALSO READ: Water and Sanitation dept warns of cholera detection in Vaal River

Municipalities in over their heads

The City of Joburg is struggling to clear maintenance backlogs, said Dlamini, which results in pollution in the river.

“It is evident that when Bruma Lake is filled with spillage and pollution, it then flows into the Jukskei River.”

Dlamini added that there was a section of sewer line that runs near the Gillooly’s water complex.

“We have investigated, and no signs of pollution were found from our sewer line, which runs for three kilometres.

“We even went further to investigate the Jukskei River in every part of our jurisdiction and no trace of pollution from inside the City of Ekurhuleni was found,” he said.

“The City of Ekurhuleni will keep on monitoring our areas so that if there is any pollution from us in the future, it will be resolved before it can cause harm.”

Pote said that she has tried every avenue to get help, but Ekurhuleni, the City of Joburg and the department of water and sanitation had not been responsive.

ALSO READ: Vaal river threatened: Resort, nearby businesses may close

Ward councillor Jill Humphreys has been liaising with Joburg officials. “I have had numerous site meetings, proposed mitigations, shared information on local groups,” she said. But no action was taken.

The City of Joburg has not responded to questions about the pollution since they were first posed last year.

The Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina had not answered questions by the time of publication.