UPDATE: Uvongo lagoon is in trouble

THE Uvongo lagoon is, more than likely, not free from E.coli as yet.

With less than 12 weeks until Easter holidays, an investigation by the Herald revealed that the lagoon may still be in deep trouble.

If we cast our memory back: Ugu District Municipality found that the Uvongo lagoon was ‘highly contaminated’ with E.coli after a series of tests were conducted. As a result the public was prohibited from swimming.

Many blamed their suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea over the festive season on the water from the lagoon.

The DA laid a criminal charge in terms of the National Water Act against Ugu District after the DA reported the problem of contaminated water to Ugu District on December 20.

However, Ugu’s physical investigations showed no traces of sewage spillage in their system.

Then an onsite investigation led by Councillor George Henderson and other DA officials in January revealed shocking evidence – constant flow and spillage of raw sewage into a stream of the Uvongo river from the temporary conservancy system at Masinenge housing project and spillage of raw sewage opposite the Riverside Bowling Club (formerly Uvongo Bowling Club).

In January a press release from Ugu District read: ‘Repairs and replacement of the sewage tanks (at the housing project) were urgently undertaken and tests were conducted which revealed that this had no significant impact of the contamination of the river and further investigation of the major source of contamination is still in progress.’

An onsite inspection at the housing project last Thursday revealed the following:

1. Water tanks were used as temporary sewage tanks at the housing project, as early as March last year. According to a source, known to the Herald, these water tanks were allegedly a problem from the word ‘go’ and sewage would reportedly flow into the river. It is believed that they were not regularly emptied by Ugu District and the pipes were broken. The Herald has received information that spills were reported to Ugu District as early as June last year, but nothing was done.

2. Most recently, two 5 000-litre septic tanks have been cemented in and are used as conservancy tanks. The containers are not big enough to cater for the 26 families living in the area. As a matter of interest, a 2 500-litre tank caters for four to nine people.

3. The cement bunker built around the tanks is not deep enough to catch any overflow of sewage. The overflow of the septic tanks leads directly into the watercourse.

4. The tanks have been left exposed and should be cordoned off as they could pose as a danger, especially to children.

5. Both the workmanship and the poor way the site has been left are deeply concerning. There is even evidence that the old water tanks were burned and left on the site.

6. The chamber lid of a manhole cover (near the tanks) was left open, posing a further safety hazard to children.

7. Old cement and building rubble just thrown close to the water course.

Blackwater, which is the mixture of urine, faeces and flushwater, is seeping from an access road at the Uvongo Tennis Club into the Uvongo lagoon.

Margate resident, Hennie Mare, pointed out this leak to the Herald after a visitor from Pietermaritzberg had recently brought it to his attention.

He notified Ugu District of the problem however nothing has been done by the municipality to rectify the situation.

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