eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda assess the progress on the repairs of sewer pump stations. Image: EThekwini Municipality
Raw Sewerage continues to spill into EThekwini Beaches
EThekwini mayor Mxoliso Kaunda, hopes to get south coast beaches opened after being closed for 18months due sewerage contamination
eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda assess the progress on the repairs of sewer pump stations. Image: EThekwini Municipality
ActionSA has lifted the lid on the source of the poor water quality in parts of EThekwini beaches. The party alleges that 20 million litres of unaccounted raw sewerage is released into the Umngeni River and beaches daily.
ETHEKWINI BEACHES CONTAMINATED
The party’s leader in EThekwini Alan Beesley says the prolonged contamination of beaches in Durban’s South Coast, is due to aged and damaged water pumps which were damaged by the floods of April 2021.
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“One such example is the Northern WasteWater Treatment Plant. This plant used to receive 35 million litres of raw sewage daily to treat, however, it is currently only receiving 15 million. The difference of 20 million litres is the amount of raw sewage that is daily being discharged into the environment. This raw sewage ultimately ends up in the uMngeni River and the sea, thus affecting the quality of beach water,” Beesley said.
Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda conducted an oversite visit to the pump stations and beaches to assess the progress made, and says he is satisfied by the progress made thus far, and is hopeful the beaches will be opened once again- in time for the festive season.
“Is because the beaches of the south are very critical in the injection it has in the tourism sector. Warner beach and Winkelspruit attracts more numbers during festive season”, says Kaunda.
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18 MONTHS OF NO BEACH ACCESS
Warner beach and Winkelspruit have been closed for a year and a half, and speaking to the IOL, Beesley says, the stench in the area has been unbearable, with some business taking a heavy knock.
“The smell from the river is overpowering and the impact on residents and local businesses has been catastrophic”
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“A BnB nearby has not had one booking the whole year. Because of the high e-coli levels, Warner Beach and Winklespruit Beach have been closed for swimming for a year and a half”, Beesley says.
