For Philip Robinson, a resident of De Ruyter Street in Strand, the sound of progress has become a 24-hour nightmare.
What was supposed to be an upgrade to the local pump station has instead resulted in a design flaw that keeps pumps running every 10 minutes, regardless of the weather, and has left a private citizen in the unorthodox position of “managing” municipal infrastructure.
The trouble began two years ago following a contractor’s work on a manhole along the Trappies sewer line, but escalated last year after the City of Cape Town installed two larger pumps.
Robinson says the design is fundamentally flawed: the overflow pump is positioned below the river level, meaning water flows backward into the system.
“It pumps out water, but it just flows back in. It makes a massive noise every 10 minutes, 24 hours a day, rain or shine,” Robinson relates. “It is supposed to handle excess rainwater, but even on a sunny day, it’s running. It’s a total waste of energy and a constant disturbance.”
The situation reached breaking point last August. After attending numerous meetings regarding the Trappies upgrade and Lourens River Catchment Forum, and receiving no relief from the noise, Robinson took matters into his own hands.”I told the City officials, ‘Give me the key so I can control the pumps’. It was the only way we could get any peace,” he recalls.
Robinson has held the key to the pumps since August, manually operating the station to protect his community’s sanity.
When he leaves his home, he leaves the key with a neighbour. “I don’t want to be responsible for the key – it’s not my job, but I have to look after my community.”
Beyond the noise, the station is a magnet for trouble. A perimeter wall that once protected the site is gone, and despite City promises for increased security, the site remains vulnerable to break-in attempts. Maintenance is also a concern as Robinson claims no maintenance has been done in eight months.
Upstream sewage breaks also frequently terminate at this station, requiring “honeysucker” trucks to be dispatched.
Robinson believes the solution is simple: the installation of a non-return valve on the outlet pipe to prevent riverwater from flowing back in, along with proper noise suppression and a restored security wall. “I’ve been complaining since May last year, but there is no action. The sensors don’t work because of the design. It’s an ongoing issue that the City just isn’t resolving.”
Approached for comment, the City said it is “looking into the particulars of the enquiry and will revert in due course”.
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