TOILET paper, tampons, raw sewage and sometimes even charcoal are what two residents of Margaret Maytom Avenue in Virginia have to scoop out of their yards in an ongoing battle with sewage overflowing into their properties for over a year now.

Last week’s heavy rain exacerbated the situation such that one of the tenants’ pool turned green from sewage flowing into it, and it wasn’t the first time it had happened.

Lameez Patel moved to the property two years ago, and has been fighting this sewage war since last year.

“It gets worse with every heavy downpour. In November 2024, fecal matter had settled in the pool. I called the pool guy to come check but he said there was nothing wrong with the pool and it was sewage. It was like a brown fungus,” said Patel.

“This time around, there were tampons and toilet paper along with the sewage. The stench is really bad and this happens right outside my kitchen. It has attracted flies as well. We have to disinfect each time this happens because it’s a health hazard. We can’t live like this. The municipality must find a permanent solution,” she said.

Another resident, Greg Ash, experiences the same.

It first occurred randomly when the main municipal sewer blocked, but over the last three to four months flood waters after heavy rains have been getting into the sewer, causing more severe overflows of raw sewage.

“The frustrating part is that the City only sends staff to jet the sewage line. Then they return when it happens again but no permanent solution is on the cards,” said Ash.

“We actually drive around with the City drivers from house to house to help them get access to the houses that need jetting. They are absolute stars and very helpful but as it has happened around 15 times, something more formal to correct the underlying problem is required – it must come to an end,” he added.

Ash’s property is so severely flooded with sewage that he often can’t cook or eat at home due to the stench and number of flies.

“I also can’t do laundry because the spill occurs right outside my kitchen door,” he said.

Both residents have also had to purchase copious amounts of cleaning agents each time this happens to power-hose the affected areas.

Ward 35 councillor, Bradley Singh, said both residents had contacted him about sewage spills onto their properties following last week’s heavy rain.

“The residents in Virginia have experienced sewage flowing onto the property and even coming up into the kitchen sink. The fault remains unidentified despite the residents’ efforts to find solutions to the problems,” he said.

Spokesperson for eThekwini Municipality, Gugu Sisilana, said the matter was attended to last week and the fault had been found.

“A jetting crew attended to the matter on 23 February. The crew identified an inaccessible obstruction behind No. 18 Middlebrook Avenue, which requires excavation and manual removal, including pipe replacement. As the affected pipe is approximately 3m deep, an external contractor must be appointed to carry out the work. A requisition has been submitted and the matter is currently being processed through supply chain management procedures,” she said.

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