Help Upper Highway conservancies manage sewer-spill hotspots

THE Mend-the-Molweni Project (MtM) is currently back in ‘difficult times’. The project began in earnest in mid-2023, when the sewer spills all over Hillcrest were occurring almost daily and causing massive distress in the community.

The final straw was a significant sewer spill across Old Main Road the day before the Comrades Marathon. A partnership of three conservancies – Hillcrest, Kloof and Everton – combined forces to find a way to stop the sewer flows, both because of the impact on quality of life but also because these spills find their way into stormwater systems and then flow into the rivers.

Realising that there were different parts to this puzzle, the MtM team set about devising a collaborative approach to problem-solving.

Luci Coelho from the Hillcrest Conservancy said the first step was to understand why it was happening and where the infrastructure flowed and how it all worked.

Also read: Mend the Molweni project in progress

Commissioning a study by Enviropro, the whole area was mapped, including sewer lines, manholes, pump stations and stormwater systems. Hotspots were also identified.

Municipal role-players were engaged – mainly the eThekwini Department of Water and Sanitation (EWS), Environment and Pollution and Environmental Health – to ask how civil society could support them. Luci Coelho emphasised, “Our attitude was and remains: How can we help?”

According to Coelho, these departments educated the MtM team with the blunt truth that the cause of the sewer surcharges and pump station failures was largely caused by fats, oils and grease (FOGs) and solid foreign objects (SFOs) that are put into sewers by users or not stopped from going into sewers by users.

She said the main culprits are food preparation businesses, vehicle repair shops and paint shops, and users of public toilets.

“There are by-laws governing waste management upon which a business’ licence depends, and many businesses are taking shortcuts, either because of costs or ignorance. Most people were and still are pointing fingers at the municipality; whereas, they should actually be looking at the business community.”

Coelho said they have seen the proof of this time and again.

“We have seen what comes out of the blocked sewer lines and what clogs the pump stations.”

 

Helping the municipality help us

As part of the project, funds were raised in the form of generous donors employing an envirochamp to monitor the sewer lines so hotspots could be identified and leaks and surcharges reported to the municipal eServices reporting line as soon as they happen. A set of educational pamphlets were developed to explain to businesses and the public how the infrastructure works and what users need to do to make sure blockages do not happen.

“The MtM efforts resulted in a much-improved turnaround time for repairs. Between August and Christmas, there was a 70% improvement in the rate and extent of the problems,” she said.

Also read: City assists with Upper Highway sewage spill

However, since Christmas, Coelho reported that things have deteriorated terribly.

“There are probably many reasons to explain this, but the end result is that Hillcrest is back to having weekly surcharges, and the MtM has recently identified the 25th hotspot.”

On a more positive note, the team reported that there has been great support and action from the Keal Group management team addressing the cause of problems in Hospital Road.

“They responded very quickly when the manhole alongside Richden’s Centre began leaking and took immediate action to address issues by educating their staff and checking their fat, oil and grease (FOG) management systems.

“This type of co-operation is exactly what is needed. The MtM team firmly believes that prevention is much, much better than cure!”

Also, on a positive note, Coelho said EWS dispatched a contractor on Friday, March 22, to clear all the accumulated FOG as well as SFO at the Hillcrest Centre Pump Station.

They removed 50 large bags of FOG and SFO! This is an indictment of users who are still allowing FOG and SFO to enter the sewer system. They also addressed an ongoing problem in the Mr Price Home parking lot and the new manhole hotspot on Old Main Road near the Marriot building.

The Mend-the-Molweni Project is a joint project of the Hillcrest, Everton and Kloof Conservancies and is run by volunteers from these conservancies, using a co-operative ‘how can we help’ approach, in partnership with eThekwini Municipality and users of the sewer system, to address the sewerage and river health problems in Hillcrest and those downstream.

To find out more about the project, to get hold of educational material or to find out how you can help, contact Luci on 082 780 3549. If you see any sewer surcharges, please contact Luci and/or use the eServices WhatsApp reporting number: 073 148 3477.

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