GEORGE NEWS - Do you ever wonder why some areas flood more than others or have more sewage spills?

In most cases the problem can be directly related to what goes down the drain.

Wrong stuff

Wrong stuff being flushed down toilets or thrown into manholes and storm water drains is the greatest cause of sewerage spills, blocked drains and flooding in urban areas.

Problem items include: 
Food packaging and cooldrink bottles in storm water systems, large items such as dead animals and furniture in manholes and drains, as well as nappies, sanitary products and newspaper flushed down toilets.

Small hole, big problem
Things do not disappear just because you flush it down the toilet or throw it down a drain!

In fact, wrong items in the drains will probably become a much bigger, stinkier problem for you than the thing you originally threw away.

Think about it. A sanitary pad may seem like a small item, but it will cause a big sewage spill in your yard if it clogs even one pipe.

Pipes go everywhere

Underground pipes connect your community below the ground in the same way streets are connected above the surface. That means rubbish that was dumped down a drain far from your house can still cause problems near your own house, or in places where you shop or work or walk.

The whole community benefits when pipes are clear everywhere.

Rubbish clogs the system

Nothing solid should go down a drain or toilet, no matter how big or small.

Large things will get stuck in pipes easily, but a whole lot of little things will eventually group together and clog the drain too.

Serious consequences

Clogged storm water drains can cause flooding that damages houses, cars, and property, and can even lead to drowning.

Clogged sewers will lead to sewage spills, which are stinky and can cause health problems.

Clearing out drains is an expensive job which costs the municipality a lot of money and manpower, which could have been used for other community projects.

If you get caught dumping or littering, you will be fined. If you can’t pay the fine, you can go to prison.

Don’t do it!

• Do not throw your rubbish down the holes at the side of the road (storm water drains).
• Do not flush the following things down the toilet: baby nappies, sanitary pads and tampons, newspaper, cloths and fabric, fatty food or fat.
• Do not throw the following items down manholes and drains: branches, tyres, rocks, dead animals and dirty rags.

You can help

Protect your property and people from the consequences of abusing the drains and storm water systems in the following ways:

• Make sure the areas in front of storm water drains are clear of rubbish and leaves.
• Don’t litter. Keep your food papers, plastic bottles, cigarette butts and other waste with you until you get to a refuse bin and throw it in the bin OR keep it until you get home to throw it away in the right place.
• Keep your rubbish at home in a black bag and put it out on refuse collection day. You can put out up to seven bags per household every week.
• Put soiled nappies and used sanitary products inside plastic shopping bags and close it with a knot before throwing it inside your black refuse bag.
• The toilet is not a dustbin. Use it only for bodily functions and toilet paper. Everything else must go into a black bag, municipal skip or refuse site.
• Throw building rubble, car tyres and other big stuff away at the municipal refuse site or inside a municipal skip placed in your area.
• If there is a recycling programme in your area, separate your recyclables and throw it into the blue bag provided. Put the blue bag out for collection with your black bags on refuse day.
• Look out for anyone getting up to mischief and trying to open drain covers - chase them away or report them.

Report

• Report blocked drains and storm water drains to Civil Engineering Services on 044 801 9262/66 or 044 801 6300 (a/h).
• Report people who dump large items into drains to Law Enforcement: 044 801 6350 or 044 801 6300 (a/h).
• Report illegally dumped waste for collection to Environmental Services: 044 802 2900 or 044 801 6300 (a/h).
• Report dead animals for collection and disposal to the Garden Route SPCA: 044 878 1990.
• Report dead animals on the N2 for collection to Sanral: 082 553 4878.

Photo: Egor Myznik, Unsplash

Moenie dit in die drein afgooi nie

Wonder jy ooit hoekom daar meer oorstromings en rioolstortings in sekere areas  is as in ander?

In meeste gevalle kan die probleem direk verbind word met wat in die drein gegooi word.

Verkeerde goed

Verkeerde goed wat in toilette afgespoel of in mangate en stormwaterafvoerpype gegooi word, is die grootste oorsaak van riool wat oorloop, verstopte dreine en oorstromings in beboude areas.

Probleemitems sluit in: kosverpakking en koeldrankbottels in stormwatersisteme, groot items soos dooie diere en meubels in mangate en afvoerpype, asook babadoeke, sanitêre produkte en koerantpapier wat in toilette afgespoel word.

Klein gat, groot probleem

Dinge verdwyn nie net omdat jy dit in die toilet afgespoel het of in ‘n dreingat gegooi het nie!

Inteendeel, verkeerde items in die dreine sal waarskynlik ‘n baie groter, meer stinkerige probleem word as die ding wat jy wou weggooi.

Dink daaroor: ‘n Sanitêre doekie lyk na ‘n klein dingetjie, maar dit kan ‘n groot rioolstorting in jou agterplaas veroorsaak as dit selfs net een pyp toestop.

Pype gaan oral

Ondergrondse pype verbind jou gemeenskap onder die grond op dieselfde manier as wat strate bo die grond aan mekaar verbind is.

Dit beteken vuilgoed wat binne-in ‘n drein ver van jou huis in ‘n gat gedruk is kan steeds probleme by jou eie huis veroorsaak, of waar jy inkopies doen, werk of stap. Die hele gemeenskap word bevoordeel wanneer al die pype oral skoon is.

Vullis verstop die sisteem

Niks solied is veronderstel om by ‘n dreinpyp of toilet af te gaan nie, maak nie saak hoe groot of klein dit is nie.

Groot goed sal maklik in ‘n pyp vassteek, maar ‘n hele klomp klein goedjies sal uiteindelik saamdrom en ook die drein toestop.

Ernstige gevolge

Verstopte stormwaterdreine kan oorstromings veroorsaak wat huise, motors en eiendom kan beskadig en tot verdrinkings kan lei.

Verstopte rioolpype sal tot rioolstortings lei wat stink en selfs ‘n gesondheidsprobleem kan veroorsaak.

Om dreinpype skoon te maak is duur. Dit kos die munisipaliteit geld en mannekrag wat vir ander gemeenskapsprojekte gebruik kon word.

Indien jy gevang word dat jy rommel stort of strooi sal jy ‘n boete kry. Indien jy nie die boete kan betaal nie kan jy tronk toe gaan.

Moenie dit doen nie!

• Moenie jou rommel in die gate langs die pad (stormwaterpype) gooi nie.
• Moenie die volgende dinge in jou toilet afspoel nie: babadoeke, sanitêre doekies en tampons, koerantpapier, lappe, vetterige kos en vet.
• Moenie die volgende items in mangate en dreine gooi nie: takke, karbande, klippe, dooie diere en vuil lappe.

Jy kan help

Beskerm jou eiendom en mense teen die gevolge van die misbruik van rioolpype en stormwatersisteme op die volgende maniere:

• Maak seker daar is nie blare en gemors in die area voor stormwatergate in die pad nie.
• Moenie rommel strooi nie. Hou kosverpakking, pastiekbottels, sigaretstompies en ander afval met jou tot jy by ‘n vullisdrom kom OF hou dit tot jy by die huis kom, waar jy dit in die regte plek – ‘n asblik - kan weggooi.
• Hou jou vullis by die huis in ‘n swartsak en sit dit op vullis-opteldag op jou sypaadjie uit. Elke huishouding kan elke week tot sewe swartsakke uitsit.
• Plaas vuil babadoeke en gebruikte sanitêre produkte binne-in plastiek inkopiesakke en knoop dit toe voordat jy dit binne-in ‘n swartsak weggooi.
• Die toilet is nie ‘n vullisblik nie. Gebruik dit slegs vir liggaamlike funksies en toiletpaper. Die res moet in ‘n swartsak, munisipale skepbak (skip) of na ‘n stortingsterrein gaan.
• Gooi bourommel, voertuigbande en ander groot goed by die munisipale stortingsterrein weg of binne-in ‘n skepbak wat in jou area uitgesit is.
• Indien daar ‘n herwinningsprogram in jou area is, hou jou herwinbare items apart in die blou sak wat verskaf word. Plaas die blou sak saam met jou swartsakke op opteldag uit.
• Kyk uit vir enigiemand wat vir kwaadgeld rondloop en probeer om dreindeksels oop te maak – jaag hulle weg of meld hulle aan.

Rapporteer

• Rapporteer verstopte riool en stormwaterpype by Siviele Ingenieursdienste 044 801 9262/66 of 044 801 6300 (n/u).
• Rapporteer mense wat groot items in dreinpype gooi by Wetstoepassing 044 801 6350 of 044 801 6300 (n/u).
• Rapporteer vuilgoed wat onwettig gestort is en verwyder moet word by Omgewingsdienste  044 802 2900 of 044 801 6300 (n/u).
• Rapporteer dooie diere vir verwydering by die Tuinroete DBV: 044 878 1990
• Rapporteer dooie diere op die N2 vir verwydering by Sanral: 082 553 4878

Musa ukuyilahla ezantsi kumsele wamanzi amdaka

Ukhe uzibuze ukuba kutheni ezinye iindawo zizaliswa ngamanzi ngaphezulu kwezinye okanye zinokuchitheka kakhulu kwelindle?

Kwiimeko ezininzi ingxaki inganxulunyaniswa ngokuthe ngqo nento eyehla kumsele wamanzi amdaka.

Izinto Ezingalunganga

Izinto ezingalunganga ezithi zigungxulwe kwizindlu zangasese okanye ziphoswe kwisikroba sokungena kunye nakwimisele yamanzi esiphango ngunobangela omkhulu wokuchitheka kwelindle, imisele yamanzi amdaka evalekileyo kunye nezikhukula kwiindawo ezisezidolophini.

Imiba eyingxaki iquka: 
Izinto zokubopha ukutya kunye neebhotile zeziselo ezipholileyo kwiinkqubo yemijelo yamanzi esiphango, izinto ezinkulu ezifana nezilwanyana ezifileyo kunye nefenitshala kwizikroba zokungena nemisele yamanzi amdaka, kunye nezishuba, iimveliso zococeko zabasetyhini kunye namaphepha-ndaba agungxulwe kwizindlu zangasese.

Umngxunya omncinci, ingxaki enkulu 

Izinto azinyamalali kuba uzigungxula kwindlu yangasese okanye uyiphose kumsele wamanzi amdaka!

Eneneni, izinto ezingalunganga kumsele wamanzi amdaka ziya kuba yingxaki enkulu kakhulu, ingxaki enevumba elibi kuwe kunento owawuyilahlile ekuqaleni.

Yicinge. Ilaphu lococeko lomntu obhinqileyo linokubonakala ngathi yinto encinci, kodwa liya kubangela ukuchitheka kwelindle okukhulu eyadini yakho ukuba livale nokuba ngumbhobho omnye.

Imibhobho iya naphi na

Imibhobho engaphantsi komhlaba idibanisa uluNtu lwakho ngaphantsi komhlaba ngendlela efanayo nezitalato ezidityaniswe ngaphezulu komphezulu. Oko kuthetha ukuba inkunkuma ebilahlwe kumsele wamanzi amdaka kude nekhaya lakho isenokubangela iingxaki kufuphi nendlu yakho, okanye kwiindawo othenga kuzo okanye osebenza kuyo okanye ohamba kuyo.

UluNtu lonke luyaxhamla xa imibhobho ingenanto iyivalileyo kuyo yonke indawo.

Inkunkuma ivala isixokelelwano senkqubo

Akukho nto iqinileyo kufuneka yehle ngomsele wamanzi amdaka okanye kwindlu yangasese, nokuba inkulu okanye incinci kangakanani.

Izinto ezinkulu ziya kubambeka ngokulula kwimibhobho, kodwa uninzi lwezinto ezincinci ziya kuthi ekugqibeleni zidibane kunye kwaye ziwuvale nomsele.

Iziphumo ezibi

Imisele yogutyulo yamanzi esiphango evalekileyo ingabangela izikhukula ezonakalisa izindlu, iimoto kunye nepropati, kwaye ingaba yingozi yokurhaxwa.

Imisele yogutyulo evalekileyo ingakhokelela ekuchithekeni kwelindle, elinukayo kwaye kusenokwenzeka nokuba yingxaki yempilo.

Ukucoca umsele wamanzi amdaka ngumsebenzi obizayo oxabisa umasipala imali eninzi kunye nabasebenzi enokusetyenziselwa ezinye iiprojekthi zoluNtu.

Ukuba ubhaqwe ulahla inkunkuma uyakohlwaywa. Ukuba awukwazi kuhlawulwa isohlwayo, ungaya entolongweni.

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