BONAERO Park’s newly installed sewer line may have to be re-installed from scratch.
This is according to DA Ward Councillor Andre du Plessis, who had an oversight visit during September with officials from the water and sewer political oversight committee and Ekurhuleni officials responsible for the new sewer projects in the metro.
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The visit follows the constant sewer spillages flowing into the Bonaero Park Bird Sanctuary, due to the incomplete new sewer line on Marignane street, right next to the bird pan.
“I gave a full explanation to the committee regarding the history of the new sewer line that has not been operational for over three years, due to the incompetence of the appointed contractor. I explained that the contractor did not have the correct drilling equipment causing these new pipe lines to not be aligned and resulting in major blockages in the new line before it was even commissioned,” Du Plessis explained.
“I also placed emphasis on the fact that there was not an environmental control officer on site often enough during the installation of the sewer line to ensure that the sensitive environment surrounding the bird pan was adequately protected during construction.”
According to Du Plessis, the old sewer line has become so perforated that it needs constant clearing with high pressure machinery. There are also continual blockages caused by silt, reed and plant roots. Fish and crabs are reportedly being found inside the nearby sewer pump station.
“I made an urgent appeal to the oversight committee to ensure that this old line is cleared on a regular basis to prevent future spillages and not to wait for spillages to occur before the overflows are addressed,” Du Plessis emphasized.
The officials in charge of new projects indicated that the only solution would be to excavate the entire length of the new pipeline and redo the entire job.
This, the councillor said, will have a serious impact on the environment and would require the metro to obtain a Water Use License from provincial authorities – a process that can take a lengthy period of time.
“I requested that this process be expedited and be done according to the appropriate environmental legislation and there should be a permanent environmental control officer on site for the new project. I also insisted that the operations department clear the old line on a regular basis to prevent further spillages during the process of obtaining the water use license, as well as during the construction period.”
Du Plessis also requested that it be included into the contract of the new project that the disturbed area be rehabilitated to the satisfaction of the provincial authorities as well as the Bonaero Park community.
