Have officials realised the seriousness of the Amcor Dam situation?
At present it seems not, given that despite weeks within which to respond, neither Newcastle Municipality nor the provincial Department of Water & Sanitation have reacted to queries.
All the while, water pollution continues virtually unabated.
Following an article in the Newcastle Advertiser regarding the devastating effect sewage has had on the Amcor Dam (and Ncandu River by extension), former councillor Hannes Liebenberg weighed in on the matter.
He believes parts of the river system are pure sewage.
Liebenberg took reporters to two streams branching off the Ncandu River, one which flows beneath Marconi Drive in Industria and the other beneath Allen Street near the Showgrounds.
The waters of the Marconi Drive stream are murky and grey.
“The sewer line is not working. I’m not sure if a pipe has burst or a manhole is blocked but the pipe doesn’t flow to the pump station, and instead dams up and flows into the Amcor Dam.”
Liebenberg believes the number of new industries permitted to start up by the municipality, and a lack of maintenance, are to blame for the state of the dam.
He also noted the abundance of roots in the pipe networks.
“The Amcor Dam used to be a good place to fish and now you can’t even reach the water.”
Considering the results of independent water tests he recently commissioned, Liebenberg said from the Slegspruit down, water cabbage and overgrowth were rampant. He said this was proof sewage was gushing into the Ncandu River.
Despite being unable to find the exact source of the pollution, Liebenberg blames a lack of ownership from the municipality for ongoing troubles.
Standing near the Slegspruit, Liebenberg concluded: “The colour of the water tells you the problem.”
UPDATE: Are Newcastle’s sewage pipes a ticking time bomb?
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