Water wasteland

The NEWS and Edenvale RiverWatch last week discovered two sources of pollution which could be detrimental to the health of the Illiondale Wetland and the Modderfontein Dam.

Not only is a serious sewage leak contaminating water running through Sebenza, Illiondale and Modderfontein, but a large consignment of plastic sleeves, embroidery samples and job cards were dumped in the river at the Engwena Road bridge.

Any amount of rain in the area could cause the plastic items to flow downstream from Sebenza, through the Illiondale Wetland, the Modderfontein Golf Course and ultimately into the Modderfontein Dam.

The NEWS is in possession of evidence gathered from the scene of the dumping, including client samples from multi-national corporates to local businesses.

This is the second major incident in Sebenza in just over a year.

On January 26, last year, members of the Illiondale Resident’s Association (IRA) discovered a large pile of dumped medical waste between Dunbar Road in Illiondale and Ingwe Road in Sebenza.

Hundreds of prescriptions and receipts at the scene were filed in 2005 and 2006 by the now closed Modderfontein Pharmacy.

Before it was closed in 2008, the Modderfontein Pharmacy was based at the Queen Street Shopping Centre in Modderfontein.

At the time the article was published, the same shopping centre had been sold to an investor and the medical waste was found when the former pharmacy’s store room was cleaned.

An investigation into the dumping conducted by the NEWS was picked up by criminal investigators from the Green Scorpions.

Under the guidance of the Green Scorpions, property investors cleared and rehabilitated the area.

This time around, the NEWS will assist Edenvale RiverWatch and the relevant departments with an investigation into the dumped materials.

While rain in the area would result in the spread of the plastic materials, great concern was placed on the already problematic sewage spill.

It is unknown when the spill first started, but a member of the Illiondale Wetland Buddies told the NEWS that during the group’s last clean-up, in 2013, volunteers could barely breathe while working in the area.

It could also not be established whether the leak was reported to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM).

It is believed the leak originates from under the bridge.

This would then in turn place concern over infrastructure safety, including how much of the road under the bridge has been eroded since the leak started.

Engwena Road is used by heavy duty trucks and a number of motorists to gain access to Sebenza.

Dr Irwin Juckes, the founder of Edenvale RiverWatch said common pollutants such as sewage kills off vital invertebrates in streams and rivers.

Plastics and materials will kill off other dwindling wildlife around Edenvale and Modderfontein’s rivers.