Essential staff concerned about health implications of leaking sewage

HENLEY ON KLIP. – Essential services staff working at industrial properties near Bloubok Street in Highbury, Midvaal are concerned about a raw sewage spill in the area.

Edmirie Fourie writes: “We are a small business in Highbury and each day we have to drive through sewage leaking across the road on Bloubok Road. It is really vile, and I am concerned that it will become a health hazard for less fortunate employees who have to walk on that road. Who knows what kind of diseases can breed in there?”

Edmirie says when contacting the Midvaal Local Municipality on 20 April 2020 she was first assured that the sewage leak would be fixed.

When contacting the municipality, a second time however, Edmirie says she was informed that municipality could not assist and that her company would have to call a septic specialist themselves in order to assist with the problem.

“My manager found this unacceptable as it isn’t our pipe or septic tank and of course a specialist will charge us,” writes Edmirie.

Responding to an enquiry into the matter by Vaalweekblad, Midvaal Local Muncipality’s MMC for Engineering Services, Peter Teixeira, explained that the waterborne sewerage system is situated on an agricultural smallholding outside the area serviced by the Midvaal Local Municipality and although the area falls within the Midvaal Local Municipality the responsibility of fixing the leak resides with the owner of the property.

According to Teixeira owners of properties situated outside the area serviced by the municipality have to construct a waterborne sewerage system before building plans can be approved. This would also be the case with the waterborne sewage system at Bloubok Road.

Teixeira said that the issue could however be resolved fairly easily. “The municipality would need to inspect the leak and if necessary, issue a contravention notice to the owner.”

Teixeira said that the municipality would send someone out to have a look at the problem.