Broken pump station takes toll on medical business
The company experiences nonstop sewage overflows, which keep disrupting the operations of the entity.
Local medical supply company Mediotronics is battling one of Midrand’s most persistent problems: continuous sewage overflows that have disrupted daily operations and created serious health risks.
The overflows stem from a broken pump station at 545 Nupen Crescent, Halfway House, which has reportedly been out of service for more than a year. Despite Joburg Water sending repair teams once or twice a week, the pump continues to fail.
Read more: Jukskei River ‘contaminated by sewage’
Managing director Miranda Murray said the situation is taking a toll on the business’s safety, finances, and staff.
“Our delivery vehicles have to be parked in this sewage, and access to our stores requires us to wade through it. Workers have to park on the street, which is a security risk. Having to close down business because of the stench is another way we are being affected, and honestly, the financial burden of having to disinfect all the time is a lot too.
“The stench is overwhelming and nauseating. We end up digging channels to divert it out of our property, buying five litres of Jeyes Fluid just to try and sanitise the area,” she added.
Murray said the company has reported the issue repeatedly. “We’ve logged it at least 10 times within 24 hours, and we get a message saying the fault has been addressed — but nothing changes.”
As a medical business, she warns that the overflow is a clear health hazard.
“This is a health hazard, and there are many bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections one can contract from this,” she said. “If a person stays in such a situation, they can contract typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis, adenovirus, cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, intestinal worms — and that’s just to name a few. This issue absolutely shows the ignorance of the municipality.”
Also read: Sewage on Lever Road
Murray is calling on Joburg Water to replace the pump and adopt a proactive approach to maintenance, including keeping spare equipment on hand. “This problem started over a year ago. It’s unacceptable that it continues without resolution.”
The Midrand Reporter contacted Joburg Water on May 18. Spokesperson Phakamani Ndlovu responded: “Our query is well noted, and Johannesburg Water will provide a response within the standard turnaround time of 24 to 48 hours, depending on the complexity of the matter and input required from the relevant technical department.”
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