Sewer relining project kicks off in Lotus River

A long awaited multi-million rand sewer project has been rolled out in Lotus River.

Residents have been plagued by sewer-related issues because of the decrepit sewer infrastructure with many reporting sewage spills in their homes, yards and streets and a constant smell of excrement which has worsened over the past few years, according to the service reporting data (“Lotus River battles ongoing sewage spills”, Southern Mail, April 21 2021).

Resident Richard Southgate said he had made several complaints to the City over many years about overflowing sewage in their yard.

“I always reported it and sometimes the City would come out and then it would back to the same problems. It was disgusting having to deal with the stink and the dirty water all the time and at some point I was so desperate for a solution that I thought of moving.”

The family had to constantly clean, mop and sanitise when there was an overflow because they feared viruses and diseases.

“I am very glad that we will have some relief and this problem will be resolved because it really impacted our daily lives and made us miserable.”

Another resident and Community Liaison Officer (CLO) for the project Margo Johnson said she is excited that the project has kicked off.

“In 2nd Avenue where I live there is a constant flow of sewer water and it is a nightmare especially during the winter times so seeing this happening now is really awesome and our community is genuinely excited and happy because they don’t have to deal with the same issues again in winter. We are also extremely happy because local labour from the community is being employed in the project,” said Ms Johnson.

The relining project entails an inspection of the pipes via a camera to see where the collapses are, if there is any debris or sand in the pipes and to ascertain where the connections for the houses are in order to insert a fibre pipe into the existing pipes which is then hardened to become the new lining.

Ward 65 councillor Donavan Nelson said the relining project kicked off in Lotus River in December last year.

“Pipe replacement is a crucial component of the City’s strategy to reduce sewer spills and ensure efficient water management. Sewer was always a huge issue that was raised by residents in Lotus River and after some research we put all the complaints on a heat-map and we could see exactly where the problems were,” he said.

Most of the sewage issues were between Klip Road and Fourth Avenue and Buck Road and Strandfontein Road and there were major collapses in some pipes because the pipes are over 40 years old.

“The issue was quite severe and we (the department of water and sanitation) lobbied to get a sewer lining project in Lotus River and I am thrilled that it has been launched,” said Mr Nelson.

He added over the course of the project dumping continued to be one of the main reasons for the sewage spillage.

“We’ve been pulling out towels, blankets, diapers, sanitary towels and other things which causes major problems and blockages in the system which then leads to sewage running in people’s homes and that is not a nice experience. So with this project and with the help of the community to not dump, the relining will benefit residents for many years to come.”

Lotus River resident Paul Phillips agreed that there needs to be an awareness campaign to address the dumping issue but said the old infrastructure is mostly to blame for the spills and issues.

“There needs to be a complete overhaul of the system because it feels like this is but a short-term solution and the bigger problem isn’t being addressed because the system is insufficient to supply and service all the added households and backyarders.”

Mr Nelson said the relining of the pipes will alleviate a lot of strain the system is currently facing and said further solutions will be looked into but he is confident the project will yield positive results for the next 50 years.

“It will alleviate a lot of the complaints and it also gives us an indication of where the problems are and if we have to come up with more solutions but for now we are confident the project will be successful.”