REPAIRS to a burst storm water pipe began only a month ago after Bonaero Park residents had to spend many months with the open pipe that overflowed during the rainy season. A number of residents had spoken out about various problems in the suburb, including broken pipes, overflowing sewage systems, potholes and water leakage on streets.
According to DA ward councillor André du Plessis, work to fix the on the corner of Essendon and Eldorado streets finally started after many months.
Teresa Barnard, who lives on Essendon Street, says not only are the burst storm water pipes a problem but the area is also subject to overflowing sewage for over a year
“That thing is so bad that we have even witnessed fish and crabs coming out of the hole and the smell is horrific. It’s become a health hazard for my neighbours, whose backyard and swimming pool are filled with some of the sewage. Their three-year-old child became sick because of all the germs.”
The pipe has been damaged since October/November last year and has been continuously overflowing, affecting the sewer pump station in the area. This is also causing a serious health hazard for residents, said Du Plessis.
According to him, the constant bursting of the pipes around the area is due to old and damaged infrastructure, owing to the fact that the suburb itself is old.
“What is supposed to happen when it rains, is that the water pipes below the surface of the streets are supposed to carry rain water to the water pump station on Essendon Street. From there the water is taken to another water pump station in Pomona, and then to Serengeti, which is where the water is disposed of,” Du Plessis said.
“But because the pipes are old, they have become inefficient and can’t carry the heavy waters and burst. In the case of sewage and sewer pipes, the waste is pushed back into the pipes and some of it unfortunately goes back to some people’s homes, as is the case on Aldergrove Street.”
Residents along Aldergrove Street were so badly affected that they couldn’t use their own toilets for three weeks in March and had to rely on the local Pick n Pay bathrooms.
One of the residents affected was pensioner Eileen Herdin, who is a tenant in one of the homes on Aldergrove Street where she lives with other pensioners.
“It was the most horrible three weeks of our lives. The toilets were not flushing and we had to go all the way to Pick n Pay to use the toilets. The situation was even worse at night because we had to use buckets.
She said their whole yard was full of sewage and the house smelled horrible. They could not even open windows in the scorching heat.
“The main concern here is that these people are pensioners, old people who are supposed to be peacefully enjoying their last days on earth. It caused a dent to their dignity,” Du Plessis said.
Steven, whose home is situated right next to the burst pipe on Essendon Street, says the problem has been on-going since last year and nothing has been done.
“Our neighbours, who recently moved into the house next door, are fed up with the problem and are considering moving out already because their yard is full of sewage,” Steven said.
Du Plessis said although he made various requests to get the problem sorted, nothing had been done until now. The hole just got deeper and deeper and it even had plants growing out of it.
According to Terry Rubenstein, ward committee chairman, the only permanent solution is to install new pipe systems in the suburb.
“The many problems in Bonaero Park all come down to one thing, responsibility and accountability. The maintenance of a residential area should be the primary responsibility of the municipality,” Rubenstein said.
“Unfortunately, it is the community that suffers because of the incompetence of those who are in charge and are supposed to be doing their jobs and ensuring the community’s needs are met. Taxpayers end up being victims of the incompetence of the municipality and people’s money is wasted away.”
EXPRESS sent an enquiry to the municipality on April 8 but until now they have remained silent.
