No relief for Westbrook’s poo plight as bathers swim in sewage

A fetid odour still saturates the air in Westbrook every day as raw sewage continues to flood into areas surrounding the out of order pump station just above the M4 highway.

The sewage swamp menace has been expanding ominously for months now after critical pump station equipment was stolen.

“The station was vandalised a while ago, which has left us with the situation we face today,” said Ward 58 councillor, Geoff Pullan.

“We are struggling with our sewerage stations, but despite our best efforts no maintenance had been done,” he said.

Westbrook’s pump station operates on a gravity system.

The raw sewage flows downhill through pipes into the station, from where it is pumped to the treatment plant for processing and correct disposal. With the pumps now out of commission, sewage simply overflows and seeps into the surrounding area.

For Westbrook Retirement Village resident, Krishna Govender, there is more to the problem than just the non-stop nostril assaults.

“The smell is obviously disgusting, but we need to be concerned about the effect the sewage is having on the environment. It drifts into the nearby stream, which then flows into the ocean,” he said.

A stream flows less than 20m from the pump station fence line, and when the Courier inspected the area last Thursday, the negative impact on the environment was clearly evident.

Just 50m south of the main swimming beach the stream snakes into the ocean, filled with putrid, untreated sewage the colour resembling an oil spill

And the solution eThekwini Metro has offered so far? Paying 2 guards to protect the station 24/7.

What exactly the poo patrol is supposed to guard is not clear.

“If everything inside has been stolen, surely they should rather use the salaries to repair the fence and install new machinery,” said Govender.

Pullan said tankers are sent to remove the waste, which is taken to the nearby Genazzano sewerage station – a makeshift arrangement at best not preventing ongoing overflows and seepage.

Whether Westbrook beach is safe for swimming and fishing remains to be seen.

eThekwini Metro acknowledged receipt of the Courier’s request for comment on the matter, but had not responded at the time of going to print.

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