THERE are six sewage plants in Johannesburg, with Northern Works being the biggest. It collects and treats 400 megalitres (Ml) daily. The other five works are: Ennerdale, Bushkoppie, Goudkoppie, Olifantsvlei and Driefontein.
The Driefontein Waste Water Treatment Works near Muldersdrift collects and treats 34Ml a day and can accommodate 55Ml. There’s also a plan in the pipeline to increase it to 80Ml in the near future.
These plants work optimally in the morning, when people typically bathe, flush their toilets and brush the teeth. The water is collected by these waste water plants, treated and discharged into various rivers.
When waste water enters these plants, it is screened, and everything other than water is removed. Sand is also removed. The waste water goes through different stages, including primary settlement, balancing tank, and a biological reactor unit where bacteria are removed.
Sludge is separated from the water to prepare dry manure that is collected mostly by farmers, Driefontein Works produces 12 tons per day. The treated water is then discharged to the Crocodile River.
By law, Joburg Water may not simply discard waste water into the rivers untreated, because there are still people who rely on river water. Joburg Water is also regulated by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
That is why it is important for the community of Johannesburg to be mindful of what they put into waste water at home. Eleanor Mavimbela from Joburg Water said only toilet paper needs to be discarded into waste water. “No other foreign objects are allowed into the waste water because they clog the smooth flow of the system and that cost time and money,” she said.
Joburg Water collects 1 000 samples from 270 points a month to test water in Johannesburg. It mainly tests the level of E. coli and other bacteria that can contaminate waste or drinking water.
The catchment areas of the six waste water treatment works are:
n Northern Alexandra – Sandton, Randburg, northern area of Johannesburg, Bedforview and a portion of Edenvale and Germiston.
n Ennerdale – Orange Farm, Poorjie and parts of Ennerdale.
n Bushkoppie – southern suburbs of Johannesburg, Soweto East and industries to the south of Johannesburg.
n Goudkoppie – the city centre and south-eastern areas of Johannesburg.
n Olifantsvlei – western sewer areas of Soweto, southern and south-eastern Johannesburg and Lenasia.
n Driefontein – northern areas of Roodepoort and Mogale City.
You may also be interested in:
https://www.citizen.co.za/southern-courier/86731/three-year-water-leak-struggle/
https://www.citizen.co.za/southern-courier/88844/southcrest-stream-polluted-with-industrial-waste-2/
https://www.citizen.co.za/southern-courier/87965/leaking-meter-to-be-sorted-2/
