For the past weeks, a pipeline has been spewing massive volumes of sewage into the Wonderfonteinspuit. The pipeline spans the water and connects Khutsong to the waste water treatment plant near Welverdiend. People have complained about the sewage leak in the past but it is now much worse.
On Tuesday, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) warned downstream farmers who source their water from the Wonderfonteinspruit, Boskop or Potchefstroom dams not to use it until the pollution has been sorted out.
The political party and the Herald also notified the Department of Water Affairs about the matter.
The FF+’s member of the provincial legislature, Ms Amanda De Lange, was planning to visit the facility and said she had already discussed the matter with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).
The FF+ blamed the broken pipeline for the problem and asked the municipality to repair it.
However, the Herald determined last week that, in fact, cable theft had rendered the whole sewer works non-functional.
“The theft of mechanical and electrical equipment has caused the Khutsong waste water treatment plant (WWTP) to shut down completely. The municipality is currently in the process of procuring service providers to address the problem and instal electronic security and alarms to curb theft,” said the municipal spokesperson.