Durban is getting ready for the festive season but will it be safe to swim in the ocean? This week the municipality started their checks on pump stations to ensure the beaches are safe for swimming.
To ensure that all Durban beaches are operational ahead of the festive season, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and deputy chairperson of Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee Bheki Mngwengwe conducted an oversight visit to Warner Beach and Kingsway pump stations to assess the progress on the repairs of sewer pump stations in the area.
Mr Kaunda said he was satisfied with the progress that had been made in replacing the old pumps which had also been extensively damaged during the floods last year. The damaged pipes contributed to the contamination of most beaches in the south of Durban, including Warner Beach and Winkelspruit.
“We are confident that by the festive season most of our beaches in the south of Durban will be fully operational and safe for swimming,” said Mr Kaunda.
He also assessed progress on the upgrade of two water reservoirs in Adams (Reservoir 5 and 6), which are at 80% and 75% respectively. The R60 million projects are due for completion in November this year and they will improve water supply in Adams, Mbumbulu, KwaMakhutha, Nsimbini and Folweni.
Mr Kaunda raised concern about the negligence of some of the residents and business, particularly the food outlets, who continue to dispose of fats and other foreign objects into the sewer system which results into the clogging up of sewer pumps causing serious blockages.
“To address this challenge, municipal officials will conduct law enforcement operations in these food outlets. It is to primarily ensure that they have fat traps in their systems,” said Mr Kaunda.
“The municipality constantly monitors beach water quality across all its beaches and conducts tests frequently. These results are constantly changing therefore a beach may be closed in the morning but re-opened the following day depending on the test results.”
He added that the city continues to caution residents and businesses against dumping objects in the sewage system. These objects have been found to be among the reasons for pump malfunctions. Technicians often find things like building rubble, cloths, disposable nappies and even towels in the sewer system, which causes pumps to malfunction, he added.
In the coming days, oversight visits will be conducted across all beaches to monitor storm damage repairs including sewer pump stations that are impacting on beaches and rivers. Most bathing beaches in the city are open and safe for swimming, said Mr Kaunda.
