The coastal town of Westbrook is drowning in sewage and residents have had enough.

A community group, Westbrook Better Together (WBT), has formed to tackle what they describe as a long-running health and environmental crisis, stemming from repeated failures at the Farmhouse pump station on Spathodia Crescent and blocked sewer lines near the main beach.

The pump station has been hit by theft, vandalism and years of neglect, turning nearby wetlands and residential gardens into a swamp of sewage. The effluent now flows openly through streets and pools on the beach, directly under the lifeguard tower, before spilling into the ocean.

Westbrook’s main beach, once a proud Blue Flag destination, is frequently closed due to sky-high E. coli levels. At the time of writing, it remains shut.

“This is a health and environmental disaster,” said WBT co-founder Roger Maynard.

“Children are playing in sewage, pets are drinking contaminated water, and the smell is driving away visitors and hurting local businesses.”

New pumps were installed in 2022, but failures by eThekwini Municipality and the Department of Water and Sanitation have left the system in collapse. According to WBT, this has been ongoing since 2019.

“The municipality tells us to file reports, but nothing changes. The answer is always the same – ‘no budget,'” said Maynard.

“How many times must we report the same problem and be ignored?”

Sewage continues to erupt from manholes along North Beach Road, contaminating roads and gardens.

Ward 58 councillor Geoff Pullan echoed the frustration.

“The municipality is failing to manage its sewer works. E. coli is flowing directly into the sea, and nothing is being done.”

Municipal spokesperson Amanda Nene blamed blockages on excessive debris and beach sand. She said illegal stormwater connections are making things worse, but claimed some repairs have been done.

A pipe on Flatcrown Circle is currently being fixed, and another discharging sewage is under investigation.

“We are in constant communication with the Westbrook community and are working closely with them to resolve these issues as quickly as possible,” said Nene.

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