A major sewage leak caused by a collapsed pipeline has forced the closure of large sections of Strand Beach, leaving residents and marine life suffering the consequences.
The crisis, which began on Tuesday 4 February, has seen frequent and significant sewage overflows along De Villiers and Van der Merwe streets, with the waste flowing into the stormwater system and ultimately discharging into the ocean.
“Material from the collapse is blocking the flow in the Trappies pipeline,” explained a local engineer familiar with the situation. “The City of Cape Town started overpumping with one pump, then increased to three, and now four, but still aren’t able to overpump the large sewage flows.”
He highlighted the ongoing challenge of repairing the pipeline while it remained operational. “I’m still keen to know how the City plans to do Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP) lining of Trappies while the pipeline is operational. The contractor will have to overpump large volumes of sewage continuously to isolate sections of the pipe for emptying, cleaning, inspecting, repair and then lining. This project has a high risk of sewer overflows in the process.”
The environmental impact of the leak is also a major concern. Lisa Starr, founder of Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement (Hoam), commented: “Sadly the sewerage entering the sea can not only have a negative effect on us, but on marine life in the area too, for they are also directly affected. It’s a small localised impact, as it disperses very quickly. The magnitude of getting this line fixed is concerning. But we know that the City is working around-the-clock to get it resolved. So let’s try and help nature in other ways by removing plastics from its environment when we see it.”
In a statement, Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien provided an update on the situation.
“Teams are on-site and have cleared the line, allowing flow through the system,” Badroodien said.
“The emergency contractor has also arrived on-site and we have increased overpumping capacity and installed powerful mobile pumps. We sincerely apologise for the ongoing disruption and thank the residents for their patience during this challenging time. We remain committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.”
Despite the City’s assurances, the ongoing overflows and beach closures paint a contrasting picture.
An update from the City regarding the Trappies upgrade stated there were ongoing efforts to address recurring sewage overflows impacting De Villiers and De Kock streets, and the sewer-upgrade tender was expected to go before the Bid Adjudication Committee, with construction anticipated to take 12-14 months. A public meeting is planned for March.
V Contact the Water and Sanitation Directorate on Communications.WaterandSanitation@capetown.gov.za.
