VIDEO-uMgeni Park sewage leak an environmental disaster
Sewage has been flowing into the uMngeni River for more than a week say residents.
A SEWAGE leak flowing into the uMngeni River has raised health and safety concerns with Durban North ward councillor, Shaun Ryley, labelling the leak an ‘environmental disaster’.
The sewage leak is flowing into the river near the Connaught Bridge and some uMgeni Park residents have told Northglen News they can smell the foul odour which has become unbearable in some places.
The sewage leak has been flowing for more than a week and Ryley has expressed concern for paddlers using the river as well as a group of cardboard collectors who use the water near the leak on a daily basis.
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“I was alerted to the problem by local resident Andrew Wood who tagged me in a post on the Save Our Rivers Facebook page. I have escalated the issue and asked the head of water and sanitation whether they are aware of the leak and what action was being taken but to date I’ve had no response. This is an environmental disaster and this seems to be city wide crisis stage.
https://www.facebook.com/SaveOurRiversZA/videos/2417645438508881/
“The municipality are taking far too long to respond and fix sewage leaks and we can’t seem to get to the bottom of the problem. The leak affecting the Umhlanga Lagoon is one such example. I’m not sure if it’s down to manpower, a lack of resources or equipment but this leak cannot keep flowing unabated into the river,” he said.
It is believed a pump house on Roadhouse Crescent is at the centre of the leak with some suggesting that sewage is being pumped into the river deliberately.
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Margaret Burger of uMngeni Estuary Conservancy said they too were deeply concerned by the environmental impact of the leak.
“The conservancy has noted with great distress that the sewerage outflow from a Riverside pump station is unabated for a substantial period of time. Two years ago we were able to receive a response from the City within a day. An inspector would locate the polluter-tracked and fined in a minimal period. Sewerage in our rivers system will destroy aquatic life. The Beachwood Mangroves is a sensitive system that is priceless. We have bird life and fish eagles in particular that depend on the river ecosystem functioning as it should. We cannot normalise sewerage in our estuary and we are extremely alarmed,” she said.
The City did not respond to questions sent by Northglen News at the time of going to print.
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