How much longer?
The above question applies to the raw effluent that has been gushing into the Bushman’s River for years; and the water leak in lower Harding Street that has resulted in an illegal car wash. When will these issues be addressed?
According to uThukela District Municipality, challenges at these two sites have meant that work has been delayed.
The sewage leaking into the Bushman’s River (behind Zinnia Road) was brought to the attention of the Estcourt News in November 2020. By then, residents living in the area said it had been leaking for more than eight months.
After heavy rains in February this year, the sewage pipe broke, thus causing large volumes of effluent to pour into the river.
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At the time, uThukela District Municipality said it was ‘trying to fix the damage and also find a permanent solution’.
“Because of the ‘uneasiness’ of the terrain, we will need about two weeks to work on it,” said communications manager Jabulani Mkhonza at the time.
Six months later and raw sewage is still poisoning an essential water source for dozens of communities that rely on the Bushman’s River for domestic purposes.
Last week, Mkhonza responded to a follow-up enquiry from the Estcourt News.
“The previously-appointed service provider failed to do the work and uThukela District had to terminate the contract between the two parties. We have since appointed another service provider to assist urgently,” he explained.
At the lower end of Harding Street, a water leak has given rise to a bustling car wash business, much to the inconvenience of store holders in the vicinity.
In May this year, Mkhonza said the district municipality had been to the site to assess the leak, which they concluded was as a result of ageing infrastructure.
Last week, he said the team had not yet discovered the source of the leak.
“We will have to dig the whole pipeline to find the reported leak. This action will also result in water disruptions,” he commented.
He added that ‘the spillages in question are receiving the necessary attention from uThukela District Municipality’.
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