There is something peculiar about the water in Westdene Dam.
With a constant flow of milky water spewing into the dam, a resident, Sam Ordendaal has recently raised concerns that contaminated water is streaming through the underground pipes, running from storm waste pipes into the dam.
“Ducks don’t accumulate by the west side of the dam anymore”, says Ordendaal. Polluted water is flowing from storm waste pipes, but it is uncertain of the exact starting point of the problem. There is speculation that the problem sits at the entrance of Ararat Street.
“I suspect the sewage is flowing from the Helen Joseph hospital, but I cannot be sure of this. The pipes are directly in line with the hospital.” The sewage has been spilling into the dam for over three weeks now and contains all sorts of pollution, infested with bacterial matter and litter.
An awful smell raids the west side of the dam and with it floats dead fish to the surface, accompanied by an unpleasant air harming the environment. This has a devastating effect on the environment and ecosystem and is affecting the wildlife.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the water pollution in the dam and the exact location of the source. Johannesburg Water and City Parks are not yet able to provide comment regarding a way forward in rectifying the problem. However, the entities have begun investigating the matter.
