ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said while the immediate issue involves uMngeni-uThukela Water’s shutdown of the reservoir to address algae contamination in the main water supply dams, the underlying cause is the mismanagement of sewage systems by a DA-run municipality. Picture: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers
ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said ActionSA is deeply concerned about the severe water crisis in eThekwini, where 55% of the population is currently without water and relying on tankers due to disruptions at the Durban Heights Reservoir.
Trollip said while the immediate issue involves uMngeni-uThukela Water’s shutdown of the reservoir to address algae contamination in the main water supply dams, the underlying cause is the mismanagement of sewage systems by a DA-run municipality.
He said the briefing from uMgeni-uThukela Water has confirmed that the algae build-up is caused by untreated raw sewage and possibly industrial and land use related-pollution entering the water supply. Adding that the contamination stems from the failure of the municipality's wastewater treatment pump stations, which have not been properly maintained. As a result, untreated sewage is flowing into the Albert Falls River, which feeds the Albert Falls and Nagel dams ‒ the primary water sources for the Durban Heights Reservoir.
“This neglect of critical sewerage infrastructure has not only led to excessive algae blooms and widespread water shortages but also poses a serious environmental threat to Durban’s water supply.
“Experts have long warned that this situation was inevitable due to the municipality's failure to address these infrastructure issues.
“ActionSA calls for an urgent investigation into this matter to ensure accountability for any mismanagement that has led to this crisis. The Department of Water and Sanitation and the Department of Environmental Affairs must take immediate action to hold the responsible parties accountable and ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future,” he said.
The uMngeni Municipality mayor Chris Pappas said the municipality is neither a water service authority nor a water service provider.
“Responsibility for water and sanitation management lies with the uMgungundlovu District Municipality (ANC-run) and uMngeni-uThukela Water, which oversee the infrastructure and facilities referenced in ActionSA’s unfounded claims. A simple check by Mr. Mashaba’s party would have revealed this basic fact. It appears, however, that this oversight is a rookie error from a party struggling with the depth and capacity needed to perform even the most elementary of tasks.”
The Mercury
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