Belmont Park pipes up with R16,7 million sewer upgrade
03 August 2026
Belmont Park in Kraaifontein is benefiting from a R16,7 million investment into a four-phase major sewer rehabilitation project, aimed at improving service delivery by reducing sewer overflows in the community and catering for a growing population.
A reliable sewer network is essential to protecting communities, rivers and the coastline from pollution. When pipes fail, the risk of blockages and overflows rises.
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate upgraded all the 225m asbestos cement sewers to 300mm diameter uPVC Class 34 collector sewer in the following investments:
R2,4 million for Phase 1, between 10th and 12th avenues, which was completed on 30 June 2025.
R7,3 million for Phase 2, between 8th and 10th avenues, which was completed on 7 April 2026.
R7 million for Phase 3, from 3rd to 5th avenues, completed by 31 July 2026.
R7,3 million for Phase 4, from 3rd Avenue to Plantation Road and into Voortrekker Road, which is scheduled to start in August 2026 and completed by December 2026.
The sewer upgrade method
The sewer upgrade in Belmont Park was done using the open-trench construction method, where the existing sewer pipeline is excavated, removed and upsized.
This method was selected as the most suitable approach for the project. Advantages include:
Completely replacing the existing sewer infrastructure.
Installing a larger pipeline to increase hydraulic capacity and accommodate current and future wastewater flows to cater for a growing population in the area.
It’s cost-effective.
In addition to installing a new 300mm sewer main, the scope of works included constructing new sewer manholes at strategic locations along the pipeline to provide access for future inspection, cleaning, maintenance and operations. Existing manholes were upgraded, adjusted or connected into the new system where required.
Other works included:
Excavating and disposing of excessive amounts of unsuitable clay which is unable to be reused as backfill material.
Providing suitable pipe bedding and selected backfill material.
Reinstating road surfaces, sidewalks and affected municipal infrastructure following construction.
Managing existing sewer flows during construction to maintain service continuity.
Protecting and relocating affected underground services where necessary.
- Testing and commissioning the new sewer pipeline to verify watertightness, alignment and operational performance.
The completed upgrades have significantly improved the conveyance capacity of the sewer network in Belmont Park, reducing the risk of surcharge events and providing additional capacity to support future development and growth within the catchment area.
‘Once completed, a total of 1,6km of sewer pipelines will be upgraded, significantly improving the reliability of the network in Belmont Park. Crucially, the larger pipeline allows us to accept and effectively manage additional wastewater flows from Wallacedene. This area experienced heavy land invasions during the Covid-19 pandemic, which placed immense strain on our existing infrastructure.
‘By increasing our capacity to drain wastewater from these expanding areas, we are protecting the health and dignity of our residents. Investing proactively in robust infrastructure that meets the realities of a growing population is exactly what building a City of Hope is all about.
‘However, for residents to be able to enjoy the benefits of an improved system and avoid sewer blockages, everyone must play their part. Waste must be disposed of correctly and responsibly. Only human waste and toilet paper should go into the sewer network. Anything else damages the pipes and increases the risk of overflows,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Captions 1 and 2: The Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien on site at the Belmont Park sewer network upgrade project.
Caption 3: The Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien on site at the Belmont Park sewer network upgrade project along with City maintenance teams and the City appointed contractor.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
