HARDENED fat, hard paper, disposable nappies, sanitary pads, towels and toys are some of the things that are found by municipal plumbers in the sewer lines every time there is a blockage.
This was the case again on Sunday, June 11, at Parker Lane in Warner Beach where fat build-up caused an outfall from a sewage manhole.
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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.
“When these things get into the sewer system, it causes these blockages and backups 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 not only causes a plug that traps other contaminants but compromises the float devices and other apparatus, which affects the operation of the pump stations,” said Beegte.
eThekwini Municipality has previously confirmed that eight out of 10 sewer blockages are caused by residents who fail to dispose of their waste accordingly.
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