Enough to make you sick

'I have reported this to the municipality so many times' – Resident.

The sewage runs all the way to the back side of the outside room of the property.

An elderly couple in Bridges Street, Westonaria have been battling with a sewage issue in their yard for the past six years and said they have had enough.

Colleen Viljoen explained that waste usually comes through her pipes and drains in her yard and spare room when the sewage pipes are blocked.

The most recent incident occurred on Wednesday (5 August).

Viljoen explained to the Herald the sewage flooded her back yard and came through the outside bathroom drain, the kitchen drain, the outside room’s toilet as well as the outside washbasin.

When the Herald got on scene, most of the water had already evaporated but the waste was still left behind. The Viljoen’s home has trenches dug in the back of the yard in preparation for the frequent sewage floods as well as new piping in place for the water.

After the incident on 5 August, there was another sewage flood in the back yard on Friday (7 August) which Viljoen explained to be far worse than the earlier flood. Viljoen’s husband Faanie says the flooding is even worse in the summer.

I have reported this to the municipality so many times. They told me the solution is to build a manhole in my yard and to pay for it myself. I’m a pensioner, where am I going to find the money to do that?” Viljoen said.

“After the flooding happened, the municipality did not even help me clean up afterwards. My husband has trouble walking and bending over. How can they expect us to clean this up? We asked them for some chlorine for the cleaning up of the sewage.”

In the Viljoen couple’s yard, there are two dogs one of which is six months old who are directly exposed to the sewage.

After the Herald‘s visit to the Viljoen home and exposure to the sewage, Herald journalist, Roxy de Villiers experienced the harsh after effects of exposure to raw sewage.

One of the trenches in Colleen Viljoen’s yard.

Colleen Viljoen shows how she had to control the flow of the sewage to the yard.

Most of the sewage from the bathroom drain and drain in the grass went to settle under the caravan.

The sewage that came from the outside kitchen drain of Colleen Viljoen’s yard lay on the grass where the dogs are kept.

Dry sewage lined the outside bathroom drain.

The trenches in Colleen Viljoen’s yard dug to divert the sewage flooding flow.

Sewage poured from a drain in Colleen Vijoen’s yard.

Colleen Viljoen had to unscrew pipes to accommodate the sewage flow.

The outside kitchen drain Colleen Viljoen explained to be the drain where the most sewage comes from.

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Also read:

Town’s streets are full of it

Sewage ruins house

Shocking sewage woes in Riebeeck

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