Tshwane seeks public cooperation to prevent stormwater blockages and dumping in systems

Tshwane is pleading with residents to stop dumping household water materials in stormwater systems and to report any stormwater blockage to the metro’s customer care centres.

Tshwane was addressing concerns raised by a resident and a ward councillor in the north of Pretoria over clogged stormwater drains being unable to channel water effectively, leaving roads flooded during the rainy season.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the Roads and Stormwater Section had a preventative maintenance schedule whereby stormwater inlet and outlet structures were cleaned during the dry season.

“In Nina Park, there was a capacity challenge with the existing stormwater system, as it cannot accommodate the amount of water coming from the catchment area, therefore when it rains, incoming water will flow once the system is at full capacity.

“The situation can be resolved by upgrading the stormwater drainage system,” said Mashigo.

He urged residents to stop dumping household water materials in stormwater systems and to report any stormwater blockage to the metro’s customer care centres.

Ward 2 councillor Quentin Meyer previosly stressed to Rekord that blocked stormwater drains remained a problem in his ward, while resident Sandra Moss voiced her frustration over severe flooding during recent months.

The drainage system, meant to divert rainwater, has become clogged with debris, leading to water flooding streets after heavy rains. It has been pointed out that the issue is due to the irregular maintenance of the stormwater system.

The blocked drains also create hazardous conditions on the roads, turning streets into rivers during thunderstorms.

Moss described how they have tried to navigate the flooded streets, with water reaching worrying levels on various routes at times.

She alleged that such lack of maintenance had become a worry for motorists as it had the potential to cause damage to cars, or even lives.

“Every time there’s a downpour, we fear the worst because these stormwater drains are clogged.

“It’s difficult to drive on Rachel de Beer Street towards Wonderboom because water builds up at the street under the bridge,” she said.

Despite these challenges, residents feel their pleas for action have fallen on deaf ears.

“Pretoria North is being neglected when it comes to service delivery, with blocked drains only being one of many infrastructure issues that have gone unresolved.”

Meyer said, “There’s a huge blocked stormwater drain in Daan de Wet Nel Road and the situation is bad, because if nothing is being done ahead of the rainy season, our people are going to be in a lot of trouble.”

He said patience was wearing thin among residents, who worry that more storms will bring flooding in parts of Ward 2.

As the rainy season starts, residents are calling for urgent action to address blocked drains before the situation worsens.

“We need real solutions, and we need them now. This is a service delivery issue that’s impacting our daily lives,” they said.

ALSO READ: Missing Moot man found in stormwater drain in Montana

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram