Sewage spill shuts Uvongo beach
Warning signboards have been strategically placed by Disaster Management to sensitise the public on the dangers of entering these waters.
Uvongo’s lagoon and beach have been closed for recreational purposes after a sewage spill.
France Zama, spokesman of Ugu District Municipality said numerous complaints were lodged by residents of Pioneer Road in Uvongo regarding the discharge of raw sewage and unpleasant smells emanating from such spillage.
Mr Zama said investigations were conducted at the point of the spillage in Pioneer Road by Water Services and Environmental Health.
“It was established that an old asbestos sewer pipe collapsed and was subsequently damaged resulting in raw sewage discharging on the streets, driveways of some residential properties and finally finding its way into the tributary of the Uvongo river.”
Mr Zama said water samples were taken at the river, lagoon and sea and high E.Coli counts were recorded at the lagoon and river with the exception of the sea.
“The results obtained do not comply with the South African Quality guidelines for coastal marine waters and therefore the lagoon and sea are prohibited for recreational purposes.”
Warning signboards have been strategically placed by Disaster Management to sensitise the public on the dangers of entering these waters.
Mr Zama explained that as a mitigation plan to minimise pollution of the tributary, river, lagoon and sea, the municipality suctioned the sewage and disposed the contents into an approved sewer outlet.
Contractors will be hired shortly to replace the damaged asbestos sewer pipe.
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