Mbhele Street residents have been complaining to Umzinyathi District Municipality (UDM) about the constant spills along the main sewer line.
On Monday morning, raw effluent was running all the way to the Sebenzakusakhanya Secondary School gate.
“This pipe is always burst and the worst part is that it contains raw sewage. It stinks and is full of bacteria, viruses and parasites that make people sick with gastrointestinal symptoms,” said resident Siyabonga Mbatha.
Mbatha added that young children love playing in this water, without realising that it’s hazardous to their health.
“This dirty water may cause rashes, skin and eye infections, flu-like symptoms and other diseases.” Mbatha went on to say that the sewage also floods waterways with excess nutrients that wreck ecosystems by fuelling harmful algal blooms that put human health at risk.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when colonies of algae – simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater – grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal.
Mbatha complains bitterly that UDM is definitely not fixing the root of this problem, as workers always come and unblock the sewage pipes in this area but they get clogged and blocked in less than a month. “They (UDM) need to come and regularly unblock the pipes, as they get clogged over time by things like tree roots and other materials.” Mbatha concluded that animals are also at risk, as they drink from this dirty water.
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