WATCH: Lakefield sewage leak threatens city’s water bodies

An unattended municipal sewage leak between Windermere Drive and the N12, Lakefield, could be the source feeding the unabated growth of hyacinth plaguing the city’s water bodies.

This is according to an investigation launched by the AfriForum Benoni branch in November.

Rynfield resident, longstanding member of the Homestead Dam Conservancy and newly appointed AfriForum environmental committee member Chintan Patel discovered this during a programme launched by the branch to address the eradication of the invasive plant.

It has resulted in the Civic Lake being completely overgrown.

On January 29, Patel escorted the Benoni City Times to the leaking manhole located deep within the densely overgrown veld, towards the highway.

Dedicating years to extensive research, Patel was instrumental in the success achieved by members of the Homestead Conservancy.

Established in 2003, the conservancy eradicated 90% of the plants, thus restoring this popular recreational facility to its former glory.

“It is a well-known fact that hyacinth thrives in water polluted with sewage because it contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus,” said Patel.

“These conditions create an ideal environment for the plant to spread and have several consequences, including obstructing waterways and disrupting ecosystems because it removes oxygen from the water, thus posing a threat to aquatic life and health risks to humans and animals.

“It is evident that this leak was left unattended for a long time because it has forged a consistent stream leading directly to the Homestead Dam, which, ultimately, feeds into the Middle and Civic dams.”

AfriForum informs the metro
In a letter addressed to the CoE dated January 23, Jurie Ferreira, the district co-ordinator for the East Rand, brought this leak to the city’s attention along with a map pinpointing its location and accompanying photographs.

He highlighted that the Benoni community and the metro had spent considerable resources to address the hyacinth infestation.

“However, sewage leaks are hindering progress, making it difficult to achieve lasting results,” said Ferreira.

“The impact of leaks such as this is even more profound. It causes ecological damage and undermines the city’s effort and spending to solve the problem. The municipality must urgently implement sustainable solutions to address sewage leaks timeously.”

On February 7, the City Times returned to the site with a CoE Water and Sanitation Department representative to point out the leak’s location.

Metro responds
In a statement received from CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, the city has no records of the blocked or leaking manhole being reported via the metro’s call centre or mobile app and denied that the relevant department had received correspondence from AfriForum.

“The city remains committed to attending to complaints within 48 hours of being reported. A team was deployed to the affected area on the same day and found that tree roots and sand were the main causes of the blockage. This has since been cleared.”

Dlamini said the site had been identified as a priority area and would be regularly monitored for blockages.

“We continue to urge community members to help by reporting leaks or blockages using official platforms and to ensure they receive reference numbers,” he said.

Municipal accountability
However, Patel disagrees, saying the onus for reporting malfunctioning municipal infrastructure does not rest solely with surrounding communities and businesses.

“No one would have known about the leak unless one goes looking for it. Its location is removed from everyday use, and the area is unsafe for the community to wander through,” he said.

“The CoE knows where its infrastructure is and should therefore make it their priority to inspect sites located in desolate areas. It is their infrastructure and therefore their responsibility.”

Ferreira appealed to the city to implement sustainable waste management practices to prevent similar problems and work with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive and effective strategy to combat the hyacinth growth of

“We invite the municipality to work with the branch and other stakeholders to find solutions to eradicate the hyacinth, sustainably and effectively,” he said.

“We are committed to protecting the interests of the community and will continue to apply pressure until this problem is resolved.”

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