EVATON. – Acts of vandalism rob the people of Emfuleni of deserved essential services

The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) sewer team jointly with Rand Water and Department of Water and Sanitation technicians removed a mound of stones from a blocked sewer pipeline in Evaton on Thursday, 21 November 2024.

This is after an overflowing manhole in the area was exhibited on social media platforms on Tuesday, 19 November 2024.

The teams reacted swiftly to the situation as the manhole is located next to the Rietspruit River.

A camera crew was called in to inspect the line and identify the source of the blockage.

Three hydro jetting trucks were used to unblock the line, and large stones which caused the blockage were removed from the system.

While extensive investigations on how these big stones got into the sewer system, the municipality cautions members of the public against theft and vandalism of manhole covers, an act synonymous with most of ELM communities.

Drain covers are a vital part of the sewer infrastructure responsible for keeping the public safe and minimizing blockages by preventing foreign objects from entering the system.

In the rainy season, open manholes add strain on the sewer reticulation network as excess rain floods the system. This increases the chance of frequent sewer overflows every time it rains.

It is essential for members of the public to know that vandalism of any municipal infrastructure puts a strain on municipal financial resources.

These kinds of expenditures are a drawback to improving the financial condition of the municipality and provision of quality services to consumers.

The municipality is happy about the state of the Evaton sewer line repairs thus far.

We are also aware that more still needs to be done to curb sewer challenges in the area however, we continue to do our outmost best to ensure that all spillages and bursts are attended to urgently.

Communities are urged not to throw foreign objects into the sewer system and further encouraged to report all sewer and water related matters to Metsi-a-Lekoa Customer Care on 087 310 3424/4095/4109 or via WhatsApp on 083 434 3473.