Sewage overflow causes uMhlanga Lagoon stink

A sewage overflow is to blame for the foul odour wafting through uMhlanga Lagoon.  This comes after more dead fish were discovered in the lower half of the Hawaan Forest this morning.  According to De Wet Geldenhuis from the uMhlanga Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP), the sewage leak has been traced to a pump station in Waterloo.

“There is a defective pump which is causing an overflow into the river which feeds into the uMhlanga Lagoon. The manager at the station is currently working on fixing the pipe,” he said.

Geldenhuis added the UIP and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife would be putting up signs warning residents not to walk or swim in the fetid water.

Local snake man Jason Arnold, who took his dog, AJ, for a walk through Hawaan Forest earlier today, said he found five dead fish and a half eaten crab.

“The smell is still fairly strong. Over the last few days some people driving on the N2 have said they’ve also picked up a sewage smell near the river which runs under the freeway.

“I normally take AJ for a walk through Hawaan Forest nearly everyday but I won’t be doing that now. He loves to swim in the lagoon but I won’t be taking him near there either,” he said.