Welgedacht Agricultural Holdings residents say sewage problem is unbearable
Residents in the Welgedacht Agricultural Holdings say they have been living with the unbearable stench of poo for 10 years.
Residents in the Welgedacht Agricultural Holdings say they have been living with the unbearable stench of poo for 10 years.
The residents say they noticed the smell soon after the treatment plant was built and started operating in 2008.
Linda Erasmus, who lives close to the plant, says: “The smell seems to be strongest after rain, and when it’s sunny and the wind blows towards our house – as they’ve just been dumping the waste on an open land near their plant.
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“Some days the smell gets so bad we have to stay inside the house with the windows closed, and even then, we can still smell it.”
Erasmus says their health has now been affected by the smell and says her mother suffers from a constant cough she never had before.
The flies around their property have also become worse and Erasmus says they are sure if they sit still long enough the flies will carry them all away.
The rainy season also presents a new set of problems for the residents as they now have a problem with flooding as they allege Erwat is pumping their water into the Blesbokspruit.
Erasmus says it is a disgrace that they have to live like this and say they never had these kinds of problems before Erwat arrived.
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The residents say they have spoken to Erwat over the years and allege that as soon as one problem has been fixed, another crops up.
Ward councillor Ramesh Sheodin says even residents in Bakerton are affected by the smell.
“The smell is unbearable in Bakerton, especially after about 7pm.
“This smell has been going on for more than 30 years.
“We assumed it was coming from the Blesbokspruit but now its clear the smell is coming from Erwat and this practice has to stop.
“The stink and the poisonous gasses are affecting the lives of people, especially children.
“Erwat promised to cover the sewage with lime, but I could not see any evidence if that being done.
“I am taking up this issue with the health sector in every tier of government,” says Sheodin.
Erwat, however, denies these allegations.
“Welgedacht Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) commissioned its new mechanical dewatering facility during March 2018 at a cost of R24-million.
“The system went into full operation as of May 2018 and all treated sludge currently produced by the works is successfully mechanically dewatered.
“The WWTW, therefore, ceased the irrigation of liquid sludge to land, which means the risk of impacting on the groundwater due to this practice, has stopped.
“The sludge irrigation lands will only serve as an emergency backup, should a fatal breakdown of the dewatering facility occur in future.
“After dewatering, the sludge cake (biosolids) is stockpiled for further solar drying on the sludge lands,” explains Wanda Annadale, communications manager for Erwat.
Annadale went on to say they will investigate the origin of the smell, which may emanate typically from an overflowing blocked sewer line in Bakerton, but it is unlikely it has been caused by Erwat as Bakerton is several kilometres away.
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