Sewage stinks up Van Riebeeck Avenue

Ward 19’s Clr Bill Rundle believes continuous development paired with a lack of infrastructure upgrades contributed to sewage almost persistently flowing down Van Riebeeck Avenue.
According to Rundle during the past three years, sewage started overflowing from the manhole located near where the avenue and Andries Pretorius Road join.

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Rundle said sewage leaks occur almost weekly at the location. He described the situation as a health hazard for the community.
“I maintain that all the developments in the greater Greenstone area have contributed to the sewage leak,” said Rundle.

Rundle said to his knowledge some of Greenstone’s sewage and waste is diverted into Edenvale.
He said the frequent sewage spills started increasing with the development of more townhouses in Greenstone.

During the NEWS’ visit with Rundle, sewage could be seen flowing into a stormwater drain connected to Edenvale’s Spruit.
The spruit passes through Denver and Protea parks before joining the Jukskei River system on the Western side of the N3.

To resolve the immediate issue, Rundle said the municipality needs to get a jet truck on site to clear any blockages in the line.
“The municipality’s jet trucks are standing in the workshops and it needs to hire Jet trucks,” said Rundle.

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He said the vehicles are in for repairs as they are not working.
The City of Ekurhuleni repaired a sewage leak that shown to the Bedfordview and Edenvale NEWS.

Ward 19 Ald Bill Rundle, showed the publication the leak on December 7.

During the visit, raw sewage could be seen flowing down Van Riebeeck Avenue and into a stormwater drain that feeds into the Edenvale Spruit.

CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said a blockage, which caused the subsequent leak, was cleared on December 8.
Rundle told the NEWS that the leak had developed over three years and believed sewage from Greenstone contributed to the problem.

Dlamini said over the years there were different incidents with separate causes.
“The team cleared the blockage and retrieved a broken plastic manhole step which caused the sewer to block.”

Dlamini said to try and address the problem a new sewerage line was installed across Van Riebeeck Avenue.
In light of sewage flowing into the stormwater system, Dlamini said the city will sample and test the river water.

It will continue to monitor the situation.
While at the site, Rundle told the NEWS that CoE’s jet truck is being repaired at the workshop.

Dlamini confirmed that this is the case and that the city needs to hire a jet truck to clear blockages such as the one on Van Riebeeck Avenue.
He said it costs the city approximately R12 000 a day to hire a jet truck.