“The smell is terrible,” says Pamela Gush, a community leader and resident of Glencairn Heights in Simon’s Town.
What looks like soggy toilet paper is surrounded by water bubbling from the ground on a sidewalk in Camilla Street.
After lodging a complaint with the City of Cape Town for a sewage leak as well as a water leak at the end of August, Gush told People’s Post on Friday 8 September that nothing had been done to remedy the situation.
“The first ticket I lodged with the City was on Thursday last week (31 August), and at first I thought it was a water leak.
“I’ve been phoning the City’s emergency line every other day or every day for the water leak and then again this morning (Friday 8 September).”
When the People’s Post visited the site on Friday, a steady stream of foul-smelling sewage water flowed down the street.
“This morning I called to say the sewage smell has been here for more than a week and they sent me two references numbers,” says Gush.
A few metres away, in the same street, a puddle of water is gathered around a fire hydrant where a water leak has sprung.
“I’ve lodged both tickets, but no-one has come out to fix the issue,” said a livid Gush. “It’s also a waste of water and the smell is unbearable.”
Ward 61 councillor Simon Liell-Cock said any water leak needed to be logged with the City and that residents needed to know the correct way to report faults.
He said: “This is the first I hear about this water leak, but I would like to educate people in the best way to deal with it, is to log a complaint.
“The sewage, water and sanitation guys are usually on the ball. It is unheard of for a leak to be unattended in a week.”
Liell-Cock advises the public to log a complaint online and report it immediately when it occurs.
“It also doesn’t help to log the same complaint 10 times.”
Mayco member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien says the City was made aware of the blocked sewer and resolved the issue on Saturday 9 September.
“It was found that the sewer was blocked as a result of a build-up of fat, which then resulted in the overflow into the surrounding area.”
He adds that (avoidable) blockages generally remain the primary cause of sewer overflows.
“Residents are reminded that they can help prevent such sewer blockages and overflows by disposing of unwanted materials using the appropriate solid waste collections and disposal services.
“Only human waste, toilet paper and grey water should be disposed via sinks and toilets in homes and communities.”
It is illegal for residents to place any another material into the system because it causes overflows due to blockage.
The public are advised to wipe cooking fats, oil or grease off pans and not to pour it down the drain.
To report water and sanitation-related service requests, such as a sewer overflow residents can send a WhatsApp message to 060 018 1505 or visit www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests
Alternatively, they can email water@capetown.gov.za
SMS 31373 (maximum 160 characters. Standard rates apply.
Call 0860 103 089
Visit a City walk-in centre (see www.capetown.gov.za/facilities to find the one situated closest to you).
