It’s a complicated thing
The Environment has many definitions, so what is this column about? We often talk about rubbish, pollution, trees and anything that affects the look, feel and functioning of the natural world in Makana. What we don’t express so much is the effect that environment has on all of us, and that’s significant because we are all a function of heredity influenced by our “environment”.
For some, the feedback loop may be that we become frustrated or even depressed about unnecessary despoliation of the natural environment. For others, the current state of play is normal and produces no such angst. Where pollution becomes severe, for example the dioxins released when the municipal landfill site burns, or waterways filled with leaking sewage, then the effects are more direct and our health is compromised.
Here in Grahamstown, be- cause we live with local government that is largely incapacitated, we are riding on the edge. On the whole, although it took a High Court Order, the landfill site is not burning so regularly. Unfortunately leaking sewage is another matter. I visited the Belmont Valley Water Treatment works last week and found it to be in a more derelict state than my last report six months ago. Last time, despite the broken walls, cable theft and broken equipment, it was claimed that the liquid flowing into the Blaukranz River was treated to a satisfactory level. Six months on, with pumps not working and an inadequate supply of chemicals, there is no such claim.
At the same time there is a partial success story as around 400 dwellings have benefited from the Bucket Eradication Scheme and now have flush toilets erected in their gardens. This is good news for recipients who not only have a toilet but also a small basin with a cold water tap. The downside is that, despite social facilitation and training, one main sewer pipe receiving the sewage from the new toilets is blocked and the sewage is pouring out and running down K Street. I am assured that the “build quality” is good and the blockage is due to items such as clothing and other matter.
Returning to Belmont Valley Treatment Works, if it was working it should handle about five megalitres per 24 hours, but receives eight megalitres. So additional sewage from new connections serves to further overload an already broken system. Until Makana Municipality obtains the necessary funding to re- pair and upgrade the Sewage Works, the only good news is that the river system has an astonishing ability to recover, so that the water is not highly polluted by the time it reaches the coast.
SPCA – bright ideas?
The SPCA in Grahamstown has put out a request to help them care for injured and ownerless animals. They are telling us that they currently do not have enough income to pay the running costs that include food, fuel, water, electricity, internet and staff salaries (which are very low). To cover the shortfall, they have been eating into SPCA savings and cannot sustain this approach without generating more funding. The total monthly expenses are about R60 000 a month.
The SPCA receives somewhere in the region of 30 calls per day and are regularly called out to road traffic accidents, cases of cruelty and snared animals. The SPCA also deals with injured and sick animals wherever they are found in a huge area extending from Cradock, all of Makana, to Peddie.
One bright idea is if you or your children would “adopt a kennel” for R800 per annum. Other help arrives in the form of gifts of dog food and other items. If you are willing to assist financially or in a more practical way, the SPCA would like to hear from you on 046 622 3233.
You can also find more information on the SPCA facebook page. h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . com/SPCA-Grahamstown-139823572721958/
Stray animals
Stray animals are the responsibility of Makana Municipality and the Parks Department. They have been repairing the pound so that the SPCA can receive stray livestock. The pound is anticipated to be operational next week and the numbers to ring to have stray animals removed are 046 603 6072 and Thando Dlalani 071 196 4434. Note that dead animals and carcasses are the responsibility of Makana Environmental Health and you should call 046 603 6141.
Find us Online: www.grocotts. co.za/environews
Contacts for Makana EnviroNews:
Nikki Köhly: n.kohly@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7205 Jenny Gon: j-gon@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5822 Nick James: nickjames@intekom.co.za, 082 575 9781 Philip Machanick: p.machanick@ru.ac.za, 046 603 8635 Tim Bull: timothybull05@aol.com, 076 289 5122; Rod Amner r.amner@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7123.