Almost six months later, the industrial effluent running into the Modderfontein stream continues.
The investigations into the industrial effluent are delayed as the City tries to obtain layouts to see if they can trace the pollution from the storm-water channel that runs from the premises of the factories around the area.
In June 2015, a task team consisting of the Department of Environmental Management, Environmental Health, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and officials from Johannesburg Water’s Laboratory Services conducted an investigation through a survey of premises that were known to be conducting offensive activities, or discharging industrial effluent into the stream. That was followed by another visit, whereby samples of water were taken and sent for testing.
More than two months after the samples were taken for testing, there is still no conclusive results as to which company is discharging the industrial effluent into the stream.
During the last visit, the City of Johannesburg representative Mr Nthatisi Modingoane, said there were about six samples taken, two from the river and four from two paint companies’ factory premises. There was no evidence of effluent being discharged into the sewer system from these two factories.
“For now we are awaiting the analysis results for the samples which were taken on August 18,” said Mr Modingoane.
The NEWS recently contacted the CoJ again to find out what the tests revealed, however, there is still no indication of who the culprit is.
Mr Nthatisi Modingoane said, after conducting the site inspection, the lab results couldn’t assist in pointing out who the culprit was.
“We were advised to look at the layout of the storm-water channel in the area where the pollution was reported, however the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) indicated that the area is outside the boundaries of the City of Johannesburg.
“The investigations are delayed as the city tries to obtain these layouts to see if we can trace the pollution from the storm-water channel that runs from the premises of the factories around the stream that is polluted,”said Mr Modingoane.
