Raw sewage disaster in Menlo Park
A retaining wall of a storm water canal in Menlo Park collapsed, ripping open a sewage pipe that went unattended to for five days.
Stephané Bothma
Raw sewage had been pouring into a bird sanctuary in Menlo Park for more than five days before any action was taken by the Tshwane metro to halt this major health disaster.
On Thursday a temporary retaining wall at the end of the Menlo Park stormwater canal collapsed due to the heavy rains, ripping open a sewage pipe. The sewage has been pouring into the exit of the canal and directly into the Eastford Park Bird Sanctuary for days.
According to residents, the stench was unbearable. The raw sewage which was flowing all the way to the Hartebees Spruit area could also have serious health repercussions for informal settlements along the spruit.
The stormwater canal opens into the bird sanctuary and becomes the Hartebees Spruit, flowing through the LC de Villiers sports grounds of the University of Pretoria and into the Colbyn Wetland Nature Reserve. It then passes through the Colbyn Peet Land and through the poort continuing north where informal settlements are situated along the spruit area.
“This sewage spill could pollute the Colbyn wetland, the peet land and the rest of the Hartebees Spruit,” said DA councillor Siobhan Muller, who had been trying for days to get the metro to respond to calls about the spill.
She said the Menlo Park stormwater canal had been under construction for more than six years.
The crucial upgrade of the storm water canal – a R52 million project – started in 2010 but had been dogged by tender problems, funding being withdrawn, as well as weather issues, Muller said.
“I have now heard that the final funding for the 2016/17 financial year, which was shown on the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) has been withdrawn,” Muller said.
“If this is the case, there is no logic in withdrawing the final R4 million on a R52 million project.
“As it is, they started up-stream to increase the flow of water instead of starting down-stream and working up-stream” she added.
Muller said the increase in densification in the Menlo Park area demanded the upgrading of the stormwater canal. Bulk service contributions were being paid by each development for the upgrade of services.
“With the highest densification in the city, the funding should be available from this source at least,” she said.
Muller explained that the danger of not completing the exit from the canal into the bird park, was flooding downstream as the water flow needed to be slowed down. “This is exactly
the purpose of the final phase,” she said, adding that with the upgrade of the canal, the water flow had increased dramatically.
She said during 2014, a petition was handed to the Tshwane metro council as the project had been placed on hold and the retaining walls behind the Lynnpark centre had been threatening collapse.
“Emergency funding was obtained at the time to secure the retaining walls but due to heavy rains and delays in the completion of the permanent retaining walls, the temporary retaining wall and sewage pipes have now collapsed.”
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