SELLO Seitlholo, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, has called on municipalities with dysfunctional wastewater treatment works (WWTW) to prioritise infrastructure as a matter of urgency.

Seitlholo made the call during his visit to the uMhlanga and Phoenix Wastewater Treatment Works as well as the uMhlathuzana Wastewater Treatment Works in eThekwini.

Seitlholo visited the wastewater treatment works on Wednesday to assess progress made to repair infrastructure damaged by floods over two years ago.

The eThekwini Municipality entered into a bulk wastewater operation and maintenance contract with uMngeni-uThukela Water, and as part of the agreement, the water board is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 10 of the municipality’s wastewater treatment works.

Also read: Local environmental body welcomes repair to wastewater treatment works

The WWTWs included in the contract account for 90% of the sewage managed by the municipality.

During the visit, Seitlholo said it was good to see that eThekwini Municipality has realised that through working with uMngeni-uThukela Water, they will be able to resuscitate, operate and maintain their infrastructure.

“While the infrastructure itself is not 100% operational, I am happy that uMngeni-uThukela Water, as part of their Service Level Agreement (SLA) with eThekwini Municipality, has been able to begin the work, particularly in uMhlanga, where 50% of the plant is operational after it was completely decommissioned after the floods,” Seitlholo said.

The deputy minister said that during the engagements with both the municipality and the water board in eThekwini, he picked up huge concerns regarding the country’s sanitation.

He said sanitation is not being ‘taken seriously’, particularly in the context of wastewater resources.

Also read: Durban North residents voice concerns over sewage overflows

Seitlholo urged South Africans to realise that the country’s water security is hampered by the pollution happening in water resources.

“We cannot have quality raw water abstracted from our rivers that are deeply polluted because the value chain suggests that the more polluted the raw water, the more it costs to treat it. We have to be conscious about this reality, its economic impact and the damage this has on the livelihoods of the people, farmers and businesses. I’m making a call to all South Africans that pollution has to come to an end. Municipalities with dysfunctional wastewater treatment works must prioritise their infrastructure as a matter of urgency,” Seitlholo said.

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