Wetland harmed

Wetlands in Crisis chairperson Paul Fairall said the pump station was a cause of contention for the conservancy since it was first built around nine years ago in the centre of the wetland which flows through Blue Hills, Sun Valley, Beaulieu Extension 8, Inanda Country Base and Cluny Farm.

He was one of the many people who fought against the wetland, and he still remembers his anger when city council opened it.

He was not surprised to hear that the pump station had spilled sewage into the wetland, believing it to be a common occurrence, as found by chairperson of the Greater Kyalami Conservancy Kristin Kallesen on 7 February. Kallesen swiftly contacted Joburg Water and they were fast on scene but the damage was mostly done.

Kallesen said, “Raw sewage has been flowing continuously into the wetland at the Sommerset Pump Station off Tamboti Road in Blue Hills and has contaminated the water course. This may affect horses and livestock as well as wildlife using this as a water source.”

Fairall said the spill was a frightening situation as an American study found that certain pathogens can live in the silt of wetlands for five to seven years.

Kallesen met Joburg Water officials on site for an inspection and the department was working all of last week to resolve the issue.

Joburg Water spokesperson Millicent Kabwe explained, “The normal operation of the pump stations were disrupted due to sand infiltrating due to heavy rains into the impellers thereby blocking them. The incident was reported to Johannesburg Water and the team managed to repair the pump station.”

She said the continuous development in the Greater Kyalami Conservancy was affecting the pump station and the current power supply was limited so only one pump could be used for the operations, though Johannesburg Water has applied for an upgrade by Eskom to accommodate the growing demand. Fairall warned residents to have their borehole water tested as he believed it could be contaminated.