Phumula Nathi takes responsibility for sewage spillage
Management of Phumula Nathi say they are keen to comply with advice given by the Water Department to render their sewage system safer for the environment.
Building manager of Phumula Nathi, Babs Singh, says the motel is prepared to do what it takes to ensure that its septic tank sewage system is safe for the environment.
The impoverished residents of the neighbouring farm, Wykom, complained last week about sewage effluent flowing toward the Mbovana River, which they depend on for water for bathing and household chores.
Mr Singh says that he has approached the municipality’s Water Department for advice on what measures he should put in place to rectify the situation.
“This matter was never brought to our attention by the community, but as soon as we heard about it, we started working on it,” said Mr Singh, who expressed ill feelings that the residents of Wykom farm had chosen to raise their concerns with the media before they approached the motel.
He went on to point out that Phumula Nathi has made water from its borehole available to the residents of Wykom Farm at no cost for many years, and angrily threatened to revoke that favour for bringing the motel to disrepute.
On a site inspection of the sewage system, Mr Singh claimed that the sewage effluent being released into the environment seeped into the ground or collected in pools before it ever reached the river. Asked about the rain washing the effluent into the river, Mr Singh conceded that it would happen, but insisted that it had not rained in a long time.
“We have two tanks at the motel,” explained Mr Singh. “All the waste water from the drains and sewage system goes into the first tank, where the solids settle and are treated with chemicals. The waste from the first tank is emptied by a honeysucker regularly. The excess waste water flows to the second tank, which the overflow pipe is connected to.”
Asked about the risk of ground water contamination, with sewage effluent seeping into the wetland system where people depend of boreholes for water, Mr Singh said that a filtration system in the borehole and the use of chemicals ensured that the water was safe for consumption.
An investigation conducted by the municipality revealed that, while the septic tank system in use was perfectly legal, it was not being managed properly.
Leader of the investigation, Andrew Blair, explained that there should be absolutely no spillage of sewage effluent into the environment if the septic tanks were emptied as regularly as they ought to be. He warned that, whereas the flow of sewage was little more than a trickle when the motel wasn’t busy, if a function catering for numerous guests were held there, the trickle would quickly escalate to a rapid flow.
Mr Blair called the management of the motel irresponsible for allowing sewage to flow into the environment instead of just paying for the service of having the septic tanks emptied.
“The septic tanks need to be emptied more regularly, and if there is a function being hosted at the motel, the septic tanks need to be emptied prior to the function and immediately after to ensure that there is no overflow,” he explained. “I have contacted the owner and informed him of this.”The honeysucker roster indicated that Phumula Nathi has only requested the services of the honeysucker on three occasions this year, on February 5, August 19 and October 1.
