Sewage overflow creates cesspool on Woodlands property
"I would have to wade through disgusting grey waste and hang my clothes up to ferment in the smell of poop."
A WOODLANDS family are kicking up a stink after two drain in their yard overflowed with human waste, creating pools of faeces-infested water.
Rena Rust said her home has been infested with flies because of the stagnant water which has been there from last Monday, 30 May. “It’s disgusting, I have young children and animals living in my home and they have been exposed to this filth for a week now. I called the waste water department who sent people to fix the problem but they left it,” she said.
Rust was forced to take unpaid days off work while she waited for officials from the waste water department to investigate to no avail. She contacted local councillor Billie Prinsloo as well as Gavin Hegter, council candidate, who both tried to get help.
Gavin Hegter said with regard to the sewage overflow in the residential property in Woodlands, poor response by the municipality is not an isolated incident.
“We have recently experienced a number of cases where sewer leaks have taken days to be attended to. These delays are placing residents at risk of disease and very often cause environmental pollution. A leak in Weaver Road, Yellowwood Park was not attended to and the sewage was left to flow into the nearby stream. Another case was the sewer line adjacent to Yellowwood Park School which overflowed into the Red Bishop pond, a storm water retention pond that is cared for by the Yellowwood conservancy. This blockage took five days to be cleared. Not only did it pollute this natural area but the smell was unbearable at the school,” said Hegter.
He stated that lengthy delays are experienced in most departments including the water department. “It is concerning that while we are in the grip of a drought the municipality often takes days to repair water leaks. With some 50% of the city’s water being lost it is no surprise that we will be expected to pay an additional 12,5% for water as set out in the new budget. The poor service delivery is unacceptable and a clear indication that we need change.”
Rust said life has become a challenge to do even the simplest of task like washing clothes. “How am I expected to run a household when I can’t even hang my washing? I would have to wade through disgusting grey waste and hang my clothes up to ferment in the smell of poop. My own children can’t even play outside and my dogs are drinking this water, which is making them sick. With every flush from a home on the road more waste pushes up through the drains – it’s revolting,” said the emotional woman.
The department visited the affected home again on Friday, 3 June and managed to clean parts of the yard and clear the blockage. “My yard is still in a mess and I am still upset at the response time. Who knows what kind of germs my family was exposed to for the past week,” said Rust.
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