Sandton residents endure sewage nightmare as Joburg Water delays repair
Raw sewage flooded yards and homes on Harrison Avenue in Bryanston as residents waited days for Joburg Water to fix a clogged sewer line, raising urgent health concerns.
Residents of Harrison Avenue in Bryanston have endured days of raw sewage, raising concerns about Joburg Water’s response time and the health risks associated with delayed repairs.
The situation, which began February 7, saw sewer lines beneath Harrison Avenue become severely clogged, flooding yards along the southern boundary wall of Ascot Park with human waste and effluent water.
A resident Stan Bezuidenhout said, “Since [last] Friday, the sewer lines below Harrison Avenue have become clogged. The flooding of the yards has continued as a constant stream is flowing, this is visible as it crosses over Harrison Avenue.
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“My entire yard is flooded with raw sewage streaming like a river. This is no longer a mere inconvenience; it is an active and growing health and environmental crisis due to your [Joburg Water] continued neglect and failure to act,” Bezuidenhout said.
He added the flooding not only rendered yards unusable but also damaged his property, including a portable pool and benches and created an unbearable stench inside his home.
Douglasdale Dairy (owners of Ascot Park) marketing manager Amber Thompson said the leak originated from a main municipal line.
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“Between us and the residents, we have logged multiple complaints over the last seven days,” said Thompson.
“The feedback is that Joburg Water is inundated. Even though we are not allowed to carry out work on a municipal line, our onsite plumbers attempted to unblock the line unsuccessfully.
“As an alternative solution, we got our plumber to dig trenches to assist with channelling the leaking sewage into our Ascot Park sewage line…We have also done clean-ups and cleaned the area with chemicals.”
Joburg Water spokesperson Puleng Mopeli addressed the severity of the situation. “We have dispatched a team to address the issue and unblock the line as quickly as possible. Our team is working diligently to resolve the situation and restore normal service.
“We are pleased to inform you that the necessary repairs have been completed, and the affected area has been thoroughly cleaned. We are utilising a jetting truck to assist with the necessary work.”
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Related article: The City of Joburg is looking to end sewer blockages
