Overcrowding, according to Ward 98 councillor Beverly Jacobs, is one of the causes of sewer blockage and sewage flow concerns in Windsor East.
This comes after raw sewage was flowing into the pavement for over two weeks on the corner of Queens Avenue into Republic Road. Sewage was seeping out from Rinanda
complex and was directed with the pipe onto the pavement and into the street.
The ward councillor said that it hasn’t just been a problem for the last 2 weeks, but it has been a continuous problem for the last couple of years.
“One of the biggest problems we have is the overcrowding in various units in Windsor. It’s facing a huge strain on an already aged and broken infrastructure. I have previously motivated for the upgrade of infrastructure to Joburg Water it hasn’t happened as yet because it is a huge capital expenditure, and I don’t think the city has the amount as well.”
She added that the other thing they have found is that many residents are flushing down things that shouldn’t be in a sewage reticulation system.
“Joburg Water has pumped out things like sanitary towels, diapers, plastics, newspapers, and organic matters before and that also put heavy strain into the system,” added Jacobs.
Pat Smythe of Rinanda complex said that the blockage has now happened three times where the sewer line joins a larger line along Republic Road.
“Because we are the lowest property to this connection, we are always the first to get the overflow from the blockage. We had to install an overflow pipe, otherwise, our manhole overflows into the common area.”
“This obviously has significant health risks. I think the fact that the manhole cover below our property was blocked, so overflow wasn’t coming from our property, but from a municipal line. It’s not possible that our property could cause this block, ” said Smythe.
Randburg Sun contacted Joburg Water spokesperson Nolwazi Dhlamini on June 7 and no response was received by the time went to print.
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