Progress made in fixing sanitation challenges – MCLM

Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) together with the Department of Water and Sanitation have started to repair damaged water and sewage treatment plants in the city.

Also read: MCLM embarks on indigent services campaign

On Monday November 7, according to a statement by the MCLM’s Assistant Manager: Communications, Clifford Mogotsi, “The water and sanitation division which falls within the span of the Utilities Department, embarked on a site visit to do checks and balances on the Sewer Pump stations and wastewater treatment plants”.

Portfolio committee members were ushered by Utilities Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) Councillor Kagiso Lekagane and Assistant Manager of Water and Sanitation Johann van Eck through the various challenges, experiences and hassles that the department is currently facing when a power outrage arises or when a sewer spillage occurs.

The inspection of the site visits included the Flip Human Wastewater treatment plant in Kagiso which also receives waste water from sewer pump stations in Kagiso and Rietvallei as well as the pump station in Ga-Mogale Magaliesburg.

“What stood up from the teams’ observations is that all the said sewer pump stations are malfunctioning due to a variety of challenges such as theft of material within the pump stations, vandalism, illegal mining activities within the vicinity of the pump stations, ageing infrastructure and power outages caused by load-shedding,” said Mogotsi.

Issues that have caused concern are the challenges the department faces in terms of the pump stations, the wastewater treatment plants and contractors payments.

“As the water and sanitation portfolio committee members, we are happy with the work done by municipal employees in making sure that these pump stations are working properly. However, we need to make thoughtful inputs during our meetings so that we afford the water and sanitation team enough budget to take care of these facilities,” said MMC Lekgane.

“When there are power outages across the city, the pump stations malfunctions and cause major sewer spillages,” said Van Eck.

He further went on to explain, that his section is forced to get trained and competent contractors and operators involved to replace the damaged and stolen equipment. Van Eck said that his team is working constantly to make sure that the effected sewer pump stations are working according to the specifications, adding that “the most unfortunate part is that outages and load-shedding are causing us huge problems”.