Possible light at the end of the tunnel in Noordwyk sewage nightmare
Residents of Noordwyk are tired of reporting the same recurring sewage overflows, but Johannesburg Water now has a clear plan to address the issue, so there may be a chance of it being fixed.
Sewage overflows and bursts have found refuge in Noordwyk, and residents are saying enough is enough.
Starting at 6th Road, and reaching all the way to Lever Road and Coubrough Road, residents say these overflows have been ongoing for over five years now.
In that time several of the overflowing manholes have been fixed, but that simply causes others to start overflowing. Residents say it’s unfair to have to walk on roads filled with sewage.
Read more: Lever Road residents fed up with recurring sewage overflow
Noordwyk resident Lynne Maclean spoke about how tiring this has been for residents. “We are actually tired of this sewage, because, honestly, it does get fixed and then the next day we have a problem with it again.”
Resident acknowledge that Johannesburg Water has responded to them. Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala explained that Johannesburg Water has not yet confirmed what the root cause of the sewage overflows is.
“At this stage, the root cause has not yet been conclusively confirmed. However, investigations have identified a section within the sewer line where an obstruction appears to be present. Although there is still partial flow through the pipeline, noticeable restrictions have been observed.
The procurement process for a CCTV inspection camera is currently underway through the relevant supply chain management processes.
“This equipment will assist in conducting a detailed assessment and enable the implementation of the necessary corrective measures. The obstruction may be caused by several factors, including, but not limited to, a pipe collapse, illegal connections, or foreign objects discharged into the sewer line.
Also read: Raw sewage floods Pholane Park as health fears rise
It is therefore important that the investigation process be allowed to continue, so that the root cause can be accurately identified and appropriately addressed.”
Another of the residents, Otto Ramokoka, expressed how he feels about this issue, and what he wants to see happen.
“I’m blaming the City of Johannesburg and management, as our councillor has reported this issue several times, after receiving complaints from us residents, but still there’s hasn’t been anything concrete done. Please assist us and come fix this mess.”
Shabalala stated that residents can expect a lasting solution to prevent further sewage overflows in the area soon.
“Excavation work at the suspected obstruction point is scheduled to commence on May 11. As the affected section is located within a private property, prior permission and authorisation were required before access could be granted.
“Due to the restricted access conditions, the majority of the work will need to be undertaken manually in order to minimise the risk of unnecessary damage to the property.”
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