Blockage cleared at Impala Drive veld
The blockage caused sewage to spill onto the veld, leaving residents with an eyesore as they drove by.
After having to deal with the putrid smell of sewage for over a week, residents can finally rest assured the manhole blockage at Impala Drive has been cleared. The blockage caused sewage to spill onto the veld, leaving residents with an eyesore as they drove by.
Water Services Customer Relations Manager, Dr Dumisani Thabethe responded to a media enquiry, saying, “The blockage at Impala Drive has been cleared. The root cause of the problem lay with a blocked manhole on private property. We could not gain access to the property without permission. Mr Riaan Joubert allowed us onto the property and the blockage.”
When asked what measures had been put in place to clear the remaining sewage on the veld, Dr Thabethe said, “Once the sewage in the veld had dried out, the area was cleaned and disinfected.”
“We were sceptical as to whether the blockage had been cleared. The veld is still a bit of an eyesore, but there is nothing more we can do, is there?” said a resident.
Upon further enquiry, the age and constant failure of Newcastle’s sewerage infrastructure was brought in question.
Dr Thabethe said, “This is not an infrastructure problem; it’s a common blockage that occurred as other blockages in various areas. The blockages are due to foreign objects in the sewer system, tree roots, pipeline collapses, etc. Blockages will always occur if something is lodged in the pipeline preventing the sewer from flowing. This will result in the manhole(s) overflowing. No amount of infrastructure replacement or pipeline maintenance will prevent such occurrences as blockages will always occur. Should a pipe fail it is repaired immediately. There are areas in Newcastle that have pitch fibre pipes and are prone to collapsing due to age but when this occurs, the pipeline is replaced with PVC from manhole to manhole.”
“We are thankful the blockage has been cleared. It doesn’t smell as bad anymore,” said a relieved resident.
The municipality urged residents to report all water and sanitation issues to Water Services on 086 014 4144.
