Persistent, unattended sewage leaks are causing much discomfort and frustration for Garrick Rise residents in Meerensee, especially as the matter was first reported to the municipality more than a year ago.
Harm Steenkamp, whose residence is closest to the effluent spill, said he first reported the issue to the municipality’s call centre in February last year.
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‘I lodged a complaint, received a reference number, but this led to nothing. I attempted to obtain reaction by reporting the matter on three more occasions, to no avail.’
Steenkamp then made use of the uMhlathuze portal, and registered and filed another two complaints.
After receiving no response, he contacted ward councillor Christo Botha who put him in touch with a municipal plumber, who fixed the problem temporarily.
But within a few days the manhole covers would either break, wash away or pop off owing to the immense pressure caused by methane gas.
Apart from the serious health threats to the Steenkamp family and other Garrick Rise and Bream Hill residents, the effluent is also leaking and polluting a nearby stream, now a breeding ground for flies and mosquitos.
Steenkamp attempted to solve this problem by releasing 200 guppies into the stream and built a bat box to attract bats to the area to help curb the mosquito plague.
The municipality was contacted for comment and spokesperson Mdu Ncalane said that the leak ’emanated from cable theft which affected the sewerage pumps’.
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