Major sewage overflow plagues Forest Town for months
Residents have been battling a persistent sewage overflow on Oxford Road for over 3 months, raising serious health concerns. Despite multiple repair attempts, JW’s delayed investigation leaves the community searching for answers.
Residents near Oxford Road in Forest Town have been grappling with a serious sewage overflow problem that has persisted for over three months, despite numerous attempts at resolution by Johannesburg Water (JW). The issue, first reported at the end of March, has steadily worsened, causing significant concern among the local community.
Councillor Kyle Jacobs, of Ward 87, escalates the matter through JW’s official regional WhatsApp group, but despite multiple teams being dispatched to clear the blockage, the sewage continues to flow onto Oxford Road and into neighbouring streets, such as Sherwood Road and The Valley Road.
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Jacobs described the ongoing situation as a major health hazard, and the smell and overflow have made daily life uncomfortable for those living nearby.
Efforts to resolve the issue have included in-person meetings with JW officials, involvement of a senior sewerage manager, and even intervention from the mayor’s office. Despite these high-level escalations, no lasting repair has been completed. Some excavation work was carried out, but no substantial fix was implemented. The concern now is that the sewerage line may have collapsed, an issue that JW has yet to confirm.
JW stated that a CCTV inspection of the sewerage line, to determine the root cause of the blockage and overflow, is planned for early July 2025, more than three months after the problem first emerged. This delay has left residents frustrated and wary about the impact on their health and environment.
JW responded to Jacobs, acknowledging the recurring sewage overflow and the difficulty in resolving it. The utility said: “JW has attempted to unblock the line on each occasion and recently attended to the sewage spillage again. We are still working at this site and will continue repairs, based on further investigations, until the matter is resolved.”
Given the repeated failures and community distress, questions remain unanswered as to why a comprehensive investigation was not conducted earlier.
The Gazette contacted JW for further comment and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
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