12 580 properties inspected for illegal connections and discharges to the stormwater system
14 March 2024
The City’s Water Pollution Control (WPC) team is clamping down on illegal connections and discharges to the stormwater system, and advising owners at residential and business properties in Witsand, Atlantis, on how to correct them. Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, joined the team for the inspections.
Between March 2023 and February 2024, the Water and Sanitation Directorate's WPC team conducted inspections on 12 580 properties, issuing 159 contravention notices and disconnecting 40 illegal connections.
Some of the areas where the majority of these contravention notices have been issued and where illegal disconnections took place include Masiphumelele, Wallacedene, Imizamo Yethu, Bloekombos, Dunoon and Joe Slovo.
The WPC team consistently conducts proactive compliance inspections across Cape Town and collaborates with stakeholders on blitz operations. Initiatives, like the Disconnections Programme, aim to ensure compliance and enhance inland water quality.
The City also responds reactively to community requests for inspections. Recently, WPC and Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien inspected Witsand due to residents' complaints about greywater flushing into stormwater drains, a violation of by-laws affecting the environment and private properties downstream.
The investigations revealed that these were not isolated incidents, but rather a very prevalent problem in Witsand, which required urgent action.
How the inspection and disconnection process works
- A house-to-house physical inspection is done to check for compliance with the City's Stormwater Management By-law.
- In cases where transgressions are observed, the home owner/tenant is informed on the impact of the illegal discharges on public health and the environment.
- The property owner is then issued with a contravention notice according to the by-law, and stipulates the timeframe in which the contravention must be rectified.
- Properties that comply with the notices and remove the illegal connections are noted as complying with the relevant legislation.
- Properties where contraventions are ongoing after a follow-up inspection are disconnected in collaboration with the City's Roads Infrastructure Management (RIMS) Unit and supported by Law Enforcement.
During these inspections, the main sources of pollution into stormwater channels were identified to be from:
- Illegal connections from hairdresser's washing basins;
- Wastewater from washing machines;
- Direct discharge from the toilets; and
- Illegal dumping of solid waste
Similar inspections are planned for Nomzamo, Lwandle, Asanda Village, Hangberg, and Fisantekraal in the coming weeks.
'The tremendous efforts of our Water Pollution Control team is of great value. The discharging of wastewater and grey water into the incorrect system severely impact the inland water quality of our city.
'I call on residents to co-operate with the City's water pollution inspectors who will be conducting similar inspections city-wide in the coming months to help address and enforce the correction of illegal connections and discharges to the stormwater system,' said Councillor Badroodien.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
