Raw sewage is spilling into the street, as well as the surrounding properties in Orange Grove, turning an ordinary residential area into a foul-smelling hazard and disrupting daily life for affected families.

The problem centres around a blocked 250mm sewerage line, near 5th and 6th Avenue, with at least four homes and a local recreation centre directly impacted. In some cases, raw sewage has flowed through residents’ yards, forcing people to navigate around contaminated water just to access their own homes.

Read more: Johannesburg Water promises swift repair of sewage leak in Parktown park

Ward councillor Eleanor Huggett said multiple faults were logged with Johannesburg Water on January 16, but the issue remains unresolved. According to feedback from technical teams, the sewerage line is blocked solid, and could not be cleared by a jet-vac due to the high volume of flow. “They will need to block the lines further back to reduce the pressure before the blockage can be exposed and removed.”

Also read: Johannesburg Water responds as raw sewage flows through Pieter Roos Park

Huggett added that while regional officials have been co-operative, the root cause appears to be poor maintenance of ageing infrastructure. “For residents, this isn’t just an inconvenience. They are living with raw sewage on their doorsteps because of infrastructure failures.”

Johannesburg Water has been contacted regarding the matter, and the story will be updated once a response is received.

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