The Mission Grounds community in Sir Lowry’s Pass is reaching a breaking point as a recurring sewage crisis transforms Brinkhuis Street into a health hazard.
Raw effluent now overflows regularly, they claim, leaving residents trapped in a cycle of foul odours, pest infestations and fears of disease.
Edward de Villiers, chairperson of the Mission Grounds Ratepayers’ Association, has sounded an urgent alarm, describing the situation as a two-year-long “major health and environmental hazard”.
“The overflow exposes families, especially children, to dangerous bacteria. Despite this occurring repeatedly it appears no permanent solution has been implemented. We are extremely concerned about the impact on public health and our overall living conditions,” he said.
The situation has been exacerbated by a recent heatwave, with residents reporting that the pooling sewage has become unbearable.
In response to these concerns Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation, pointed out council is actively monitoring the area. He noted that of 16 recent service requests, 10 related to blockages, nine had already been resolved.
While residents blame infrastructure failure Badroodien attributed the frequent overflows to the “misuse of the sewer network”. “Foreign objects are predominantly the cause of the recurring blockages in Sir Lowry’s Pass,” he related.
He added that the City had previously implemented a cured-in-place pipe lining project to rehabilitate sewers on Brinkhuis, October and School streets.
“However, the current recurring blockages are caused by a social issue – residents disposing of unsuitable objects into the sewers. The City has conducted numerous educational awareness campaigns, to let residents know they have an active role to play in protecting the network.”
Addressing reports of children falling ill, the City advised residents to report to public health facilities for investigation and treatment if they suspect contamination. Badroodien urged the community to continue logging formal service requests so teams can respond within the Service Level Agreement time frames.
Regarding the current spill in Brinkhuis Street, the City confirmed a request was logged last Thursday (12 March) and teams are expected to attend to it “as soon as practically possible”.
The City outlined essential steps for residents to protect local infrastructure: flush only human waste and toilet paper; keep drains clear of fats and food waste; ensure gutters aren’t illegally connected to sewers; and report vandalism or blockages.
