Sewage overflow in Wadeville raises concerns over bird sanctuary

A prolonged sewage problem in Wadeville has raised concerns about possible environmental damage to the Rondebult Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary, with the Wadeville Action Group (WAG) calling for urgent intervention.

Businesses in the industrial area have reported sewage blockages, spillages and persistent foul odours for several weeks, with some affected areas reportedly experiencing problems for considerably longer.

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Lamp Road, Dekema Road, and surrounding industrial areas have been among the affected locations, according to WAG. The group says numerous complaints have been lodged with the City of Ekurhuleni as businesses struggle to deal with the impact of the overflowing sewer system.

WAG said investigations found the blockage was extensive, reportedly stretching as far as Moore Street and reaching depths of up to four metres.

The group’s biggest concern, however, is the potential environmental impact. According to WAG, sewage has been entering stormwater systems and nearby wetland areas, with the flow potentially making its way towards the Rondebult Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary.

The group has called on environmental organisations, conservation bodies and government authorities to investigate the situation and determine whether the sewage has caused contamination or affected the wetland ecosystem and birdlife.

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Businesses operating in the area have also raised concerns about the strong odours and the conditions employees face.

“We have been working with municipal officials and local stakeholders to assist where possible, including helping to facilitate access to equipment needed to address the blockage, said chairperson of WAG Malcolm Moriarty.

The group is nevertheless calling for a permanent solution rather than temporary intervention, warning that continued sewage overflow could have wider consequences for both the industrial area and the surrounding environment.

GCN sent an enquiry on September 22, asking about the sewage’s impact on the bird sanctuary and the business area, and the city’s plans to resolve the issue. The City of Ekurhuleni confirmed that it was aware of the sewage problem and said municipal teams had been working to clear the blockage.

According to the City, workers found a broken manhole cover inside the sewer line, along with sand and other foreign objects that had accumulated and blocked the system.

“The municipality initially deployed a high-pressure jetting machine to clear the line. However, the equipment was unable to remove the blockage because of the amount of debris inside the system,” explained Zweli Dlamini.

He said the city subsequently sourced a large pump to drain the system and allow teams to investigate the obstruction. “The blockage has been cleaned and the area cleaned,” he said.

On the impact to the wetland system and determine whether sewage entering stormwater infrastructure has affected the Rondebult area the city did not comment.

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While the immediate blockage has reportedly been cleared, WAG says the environmental concerns surrounding the incident remain. WAG is also urging affected businesses and residents to continue documenting and reporting sewage incidents so that recurring infrastructure failures can be identified and addressed.

WAG said the Rondebult Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary is an important natural area surrounded by a rapidly developing urban and industrial environment.

WAG is concerned that continued sewer failures could place additional pressure on an already sensitive wetland ecosystem.

The group is therefore calling for continued monitoring of the area even after the immediate blockage has been cleared, saying that the focus should now be on establishing why the failure occurred and preventing a recurrence.