GEORGE NEWS - Raw sewage flowing from the pump house at the entrance of the Seabreeze Cabanas in Victoria Bay is an issue that has been repeatedly reported on in the George Herald. During December, the problem arose again.
The sewage flows through the parking area down to the beach, complains Georgian Nicolene Lahana.
"The lifeguards told me that it has been a continuing issue and they have repeatedly contacted municipal parties involved. Have the E. coli levels been measured in the bathing area? Surely the area would be deemed as hazardous to one's health?" she says.
George Civil Engineering director Reggie Wesso responded, "During the peak holiday season, the sewage holding tank at Victoria Bay can sometimes overflow due to the significant additional sewage it has to handle. The holding tank is emptied at least three times a day and additional sewer sucker trucks are available when demand is higher. If spills occur between the regular sewage sucking times, the municipality responds as soon as possible, usually within an hour from when it is reported. Once the spill has been cleared, the area is treated for possible contaminants."
He said there is "little risk" of the Victoria Bay bathing area being contaminated as a result of a spill. "However, all bathing areas are regularly tested for E.coli and other waterborne bacteria during the holiday season by the Garden Route District Municipality."
Maraiskamp sewage spill
Quinton Maree complained about a sewage leak in Galjoen Street in Marais Camp when the municipality took about 24 hours to respond.
"I reported the leak on the evening of 2 December. Sewage was flowing out of a drain right next to our kitchen door. Nobody came. The next day I phoned again from work, but when I got home that afternoon, nobody had pitched up. They only arrived at 17:00. This is unacceptable. It poses a huge health risk," he said.
According to Wesso, the municipality's determined reaction time for overflowing sewage is two days, although the department reacts on average within 24 hours.
"When a lot of complaints are received overnight when only a limited number of teams are on duty, it can impact on the reaction time, but the municipality does everything in its power to attend to complaints as soon as possible. Sewage that overflows is not immediately a health risk as long as people do not come into contact with it and it does not end up in potable water."
Public can help
Wesso asked the public's help in preventing sewage blockages by not flushing inappropriate objects down toilets or throwing objects into manholes. "It is one of the main reasons why pipelines get blocked and sewage overflows. Items that should not be flushed down toilets include baby nappies, sanitary pads and tampons, newspaper, cloth and fat or fatty foods."
The public can also help by reporting sewage leaks in areas outside of or bordering the city.
"If you smell sewage in such areas, please report it immediately and indicate the nearest street or access point in order to facilitate the task of finding the origin."
The public is asked to report sewage leaks to the Civil Engineering Department on 044 801 9262/66 during office hours or 044 801 6300 after hours.
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