Joburg Water says Jukskei pump station is operational despite recurring sewage complaints
Johannesburg Water says the Jukskei sewer pump station is fully operational and that recurring sewage overflows affecting the Klein Jukskei River are often caused by blockages in a nearby manhole rather than the pump station itself.
Following Fourways Review’s report on recurring sewage spills affecting the Klein Jukskei River, Johannesburg Water (JW) said the Jukskei sewer pump station is operational and continues to undergo routine maintenance.
Nombuso Shabalala, spokesperson for JW, said, “The pump station is operational, the level is low and normal, and pumping is ongoing normally.
“More often, the manhole just outside the pump station would block, and calls will be recorded saying the pump station is overflowing. Subsequently, this will be sent to the depot to attend to it.”
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She said its operations teams respond by clearing the blocked manhole, while fitter teams are dispatched whenever pumps become blocked as part of reactive maintenance.
Shabalala also added that the pump station is connected to Johannesburg Water’s Scada telemetry control system, allowing operators to monitor water levels and receive overflow alarms.
However, she noted that the telemetry system cannot detect blockages that occur upstream of the pump station.
Addressing concerns that the station has been out of service for years, Johannesburg Water said this was incorrect.
“The pump station was upgraded and returned to service around July 2022 as Phase 1 of the programme.”
“Phase 2 is in progress with the Programme Management Unit for implementation. Timelines are not available at this stage.”
Also read: Sewage woes in Fourways flow
To minimise sewage entering the river, Johannesburg Water said depot teams respond to sewer blockages within the network, while operators continue daily preventative maintenance at the pump station and fitter teams attend to equipment breakdowns when required.
When asked whether environmental assessments had been conducted, Shabalala said its Environmental Unit would be able to provide further details, adding that bioremediation is generally undertaken based on recommendations from environmental specialists.
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