Sewage spill threatens river
CABLE theft from a generator room in Wharf Street caused a stink when raw sewage seeped out of two manhole covers in Van der Riet Street on Tuesday.
“Please be advised that a cable theft occurred at our generator room in Wharf Street,” Anelisa Klaas from Ndlambe Municipality’s department of infrastructural development said in a communique on Tuesday.
According to Klaas, “a 5m-long cable has been stolen and that is why our sewer pump stations [Wharf Street] are not functioning and causing sewer lines to overflow”.
While the pump was not working, the sewage may have been flowing directly into the Kowie River, as has happened in previous spills.
“Our electrician is busy reconnecting the cables and sewer trucks from Kenton and Bathurst have been called to assist with sucking up the overflowing pump stations to avoid river contamination,” said Klaas.
Ward 10 councillor Ray Schenk, who forwarded the communique from Ndlambe Municipality to Talk of the Town, warned residents “it is likely to be going on for a little while”.
Resident and local businessman Allan Sheridan, who owns The Courtyard, reported the sewage spill which is directly in front of Athina’s Delights deli.
“They said they are working on the pump station at Wharf Street. Whenever they work on the pump station – which leads up to the sewerage farm – it backs up further down the line and overflows,” he said.
Sheridan said he has pumps which are working double time to keep the sewage from backing up on his property.