TWO of uMhlanga’s swimming beaches have been closed yet again due to a mechanical fault of one of the pumps at the Ohlange Wastewater Pump Station.
As a result of the 2021 floods, there was substantial damage to the sewerage infrastructure network at the Ohlanga Sewerage Pump Station (Blackburn) resulting in the closure of uMhlanga Beach.
This also resulted in the closure of uMhlanga’s Main and Bronze beaches for a large part of 2022 while repairs were being carried out.
Also read: Beach closures in uMhlanga take their toll
According to City spokesperson Gugu Sisalana the City are working on the re-installation of one of the duty pumps that required repairs due to a mechanical fault.
“The pumpstation has been operational since December last year after it was commissioned following flood damage. New machinery, including a control panel, pumps and a standby generator were installed to avoid overflows during load shedding.
“In addition, two new pumps and a new mechanical control centre are currently being installed at the old Ohlange Station. Once the installations are completed, both pump stations will be running using four pumps,” she said.
In some areas, most of the blockages which resulted to major overflows are due to vandalism and the misuse of the sewer system.
“The frequency with which these are occurring is a concern for the City. We will continue to educate the public about the effects of disposing foreign objects into sanitation infrastructure,” she added.
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