Edenburg residents demand a permanent fix as sewage keeps flowing into Sandspruit River
What should be a peaceful riverside escape has become a source of frustration for residents, as sewage spills continue to take away the joy of living next to the river.
For Edenburg residents living along Stiglingh Road, next to the Sandspruit River, the latest sewage spill is not simply another municipal maintenance problem. It is a sign of a problem they say has been allowed to repeat for far too long.
During a site visit with the Sandton Chronicle on August 13, Joy Stewart, a resident, said the overflowing manhole outside her property has become a familiar and unwelcome sight.
She said she has reported the problem to Johannesburg Water (JW) every month for the past eight months. Yet whenever the rains come, or even when there is the slightest rainfall, the sewage returns.
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The latest incident began on the morning of August 12, when sewage started pouring from the manhole into the Sandspruit River.
“Johannesburg Water came to stop the sewage spill at around 11:00 on August 13, but at around 14:00 it was flowing again,” she said.
“I can’t even sit outside and watch the birds swimming in the river. I have to cancel dinner parties because my balcony is overlooking Sandspruit and I cannot have people overlooking a flood of effluent,” Stewart said.
“People walk their dogs here, and we love to sit here and be part of the environment, and with this sewage issue it’s just impossible; the river smells.”
She added that as residents, they spend so much money trying to keep the river clean, and this happens over and over again.
“One feels so hopeless because there just doesn’t seem to be an end to this problem. It’s terrible to see it running into the river, and you can actually see the river turning brown. It has a big effect on the people that live next to the river because it just takes away the pleasure and people avoid it.”
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Coogan acknowledged that this is an ongoing issue and said residents need to look at ways to stop the sewage spills from recurring.
“If you have a look at what’s coming out of the manhole, you will see there’s a whole lot of things including baby wet wipes that people should not be flushing down into the toilets,” she said.
“If we could have proper hygiene in terms of what is flushed down the toilet, then that would also help and assist with blockages,” Coogan said.
Responding to a Sandton Chronicle media enquiry, JW spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the sewage overflow was caused by root intrusion into the sewer network.
“Root growth can obstruct the flow of wastewater and result in recurring blockages. The Johannesburg Water team attended to the reported blockage and cut and removed the roots obstructing the sewer line,” Shabalala said.
“At the time of the initial intervention, the sewer line was flowing freely after the roots had been cleared. When the blockage was reported again, the team identified additional root intrusion on the line, which was also attended to.”
She added that as part of a longer-term approach, JW will continue with public education and awareness initiatives to encourage residents to use the sewer network responsibly and prevent activities that contribute to blockages.
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