On Monday afternoon, more sewage than ever was leaking into the river. What looked like a sheet of sewage rained down from the leaking pipe on a bridge over the river. This pipe relays all Khutsong’s waste water to the Khutsong water purification works across the river.
The municipality previously blamed cable theft at the waterworks for the situation. They said it had caused a breakdown at the facility and the sewage to push back towards Khutsong.
But the problem was not only at the pipeline; thousands of litres of sewage was also streaming out of a manhole next to the bridge.
“This is disgusting. Look at all the animals drinking the polluted water,” remarked Mr Carlos Rebelo, a councillor, as he observed the cattle, pigs, goats and sheep grazing and drinking in the area.
Besides polluting the river, the continuous sewage leak could also cause a sinkhole. This would result in the bridge collapsing and, hence, an environmental disaster.
The municipality did not have any answers when the Herald contacted the communications department for an update on Tuesday.
The newspaper also contacted the relevant official at the Department of Water Affairs, Mr Victor Nkuna, without success.
