Most sewage blockages can be prevented
Councillor André Beetge said disposal of foreign materials in the sewer system is the number one cause of blockages.
WARD 97 councillor André Beetge has said that most sewage outfall incidents can be avoided if residents refrain from disposing of inappropriate materials in the sewer system.
He said those things include fat, hard paper, disposable nappies, sanitary pads, condoms, rags, towels, clothing, stones, plastic, paper, toys, and animal parts.
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“When these things get into the sewer system, it causes these blockages and back-ups that result in outfall. Oil, discarded by restaurants, fast food outlets and cluster accommodations, such as flats and complexes, as well as individual households, solidifies into fat blocks once in contact with cold water. This suffices not only in causing a plug that traps other contaminants but compromises the float devices and other apparatus that suffices in the operation of the pump stations,” said Beegte.
He added that while vandalism and theft, coupled with load-shedding, interfere with pump station timing and continue the play an increasing role, what is being discharged into the system by people, remains the paramount problem.
Beetge recently took a delegation from eThekwini Municipality’s Water and Sanitation Department to various sites where sewage outfalls were reported. Some have been resolved while some are currently being attended to.
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