City of Cape Town Link

City bbbbraces for winter with sewer and river prep ahead of rainy season

<p>The City’s Water and Sanitation teams have been proactively working throughout the year to action its maintenance programmes, and ramping up their efforts the closer we get to winter, to help ensure its networks of sewer pipes, pump stations, and river systems are prepared for the rain.</p><p>‘Helping to reduce sewer overflows and ensuring that the City’s sewer and river systems can manage the volume of rain in addition to the usual day-to-day operations and flow remains key priorities as we approach winter. </p><div>‘Another benefit of the river maintenance programme in particular is that it helps assist with improving the water quality in our rivers.<br></div><div><br></div><div>‘City teams will continue to monitor its operations and infrastructure where possible even throughout winter and will deploy teams to reported incidents where needed. In the meantime, extensive work has been done across Cape Town in various areas and these efforts will continue,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Councillor Zahid Badroodien.<br></div><div><br></div><div><span><figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"><img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Getting%20the%20City%E2%80%99s%20sewer%20network%20prepared%20for%20winter%203.jpg" alt="" style="width:1069px;" /></figure></span><strong>CITY EFFORTS TO HELP REDUCE SEWER OVERFLOWS</strong></div><div>The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate continuously maintains an extensive 10 000km sewer network, including pipes, drains and pump stations, that convey sewage from properties to the wastewater treatment works across Cape Town. </div><div><br></div><div>Extensive proactive work already under way in various areas across the city includes:</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Cleaning main sewer pipelines</strong> using jetting machines and combination units </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Cleaning sand traps</strong></div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Cleaning pump station sumps and wet wells</strong></div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Monitoring telemetry alarm systems</strong> at pump stations</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Repairing collapsed sewers </strong>in the shortest timeframe possible when needed</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Replacing broken, stolen or damaged manhole covers </strong>regularly when reported or seen by staff</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Replacing electrical/mechanical components</strong> on critical pump stations</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Inspecting illegal stormwater-to-sewer connections </strong>at properties</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Ongoing public awareness education</strong> through various interventions such as the Bin it, Don’t Block it campaign. This informs residents about getting rid of waste properly, and not to dump illegally or flush and pour items down sinks and drains that can cause blockages in the network. </div><div><br></div><div><span><figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"><img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/Getting%20the%20City%E2%80%99s%20sewer%20network%20prepared%20for%20winter%201.jpg" alt="" style="width:949px;" /></figure></span><strong>CITY EFFORTS TO HELP REDUCE FLOODING OF RIVER SYSTEM</strong></div><div>Its river system assets are extensive, comprising of canals, rivers, culverted (i.e. closed) rivers and tributaries, ponds (within the flood plain/river corridor), riverine wetlands (within the flood plain/ river corridor) vleis and stormwater dams.</div><div><br></div><div><strong>Proactive work includes cleaning litter traps/ booms, ponds, canals and culverts and monitoring them</strong> for additional cleaning where needed to avoid blockages that could lead to flooding. Various means are used to clean depending on the site, such as removing vegetation (including invasive water plants), silt and litter, as well as dredging, which uses excavators and bulldozers to remove accumulated sediments/silt deposits.</div><div><br></div><div>Work has already taken place in areas such as Khayelitsha Wetlands which forms part of the Kuils River, Vygeboom Dam in Durbanville, Gordons Bay Natural Streams, Hout Bay Section A and C, Prinskasteel River in Constantia.</div><div><br></div><div>Work is currently taking place in areas such as Geelslot in Somerset West, Bottelary River in Kuils River, Dirkie Uys Canals and Upper Golf Course Dam in Durbanville, as well as Diep River Section C, Sand River in Marina Da Gama (Muizenberg) and Black River along the M5 Highway. </div><div><br></div><div><span><figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"><img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/DSC_6638.jpg" alt="" style="width:1726px;" /></figure></span><strong>RESIDENTS CAN HELP PREVENT SEWER BLOCKAGES AND OVERFLOWS</strong></div><div>About 80% the sewer overflows are because of human behaviour where items such as rags, feminine hygiene products, builders’ rubble, litter, fats and oils, and even cutlery, are illegally dumped into the network via toilets, sinks and manholes. The City has even removed a TV and car parts from our sewer lines. These waste items should not be in the sewer network, so when they are, they cause sewers to overflow into our streets. </div><div><br></div><div>‘During winter, this kind of behaviour contributes to overflows. Generally, the sewer system is already dealing with foreign items that are flushed, poured down sinks and drains which cause blockages and overflows which could be avoided. During heavy rain, overflows increase because of illegal dumping of debris, sand, rubble, etc that also wash into the sewer network system, via open manholes where covers have been stolen or damaged. Coupled with this, more rainwater enters via these open manholes and from illegal stormwater-to-sewer cross-connections on your properties, where water is channelled from roofs, gutters, and paved or hard yard surface areas into sewer drains. All these factors contribute to blockages or reduce the capacity of the pipes to convey wastewater, and damage infrastructure like pump stations, resulting in overflows and flooding.</div><div><br></div><div>‘In gearing up for winter, the team has ramped up its efforts to proactively maintain and clear blockages caused by foreign items that should not be in the network, with a focus on hotspot areas such as Bishop Lavis, Philippi, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha. These hotspot areas are identified based on the highest volume of sewer-related service requests received during the previous winter season.</div><div><br></div><div>‘The proactive work is done to mitigate the possibility of sewer overflows due to stormwater ingress. The rainy season presents an increased risk of stormwater infiltrating sewer systems. By proactively cleaning the sewer systems, the likelihood of the network becoming overwhelmed and experiencing overflows is reduced.</div><div><br></div><div>‘We urge residents in Cape Town to play their part by reducing the amount of water entering of sewer network, especially during the peak rainy months and to be mindful of what is being flushed, poured down drains and sinks and how they dispose of their waste. Let’s work together to ensure our sewer network functions efficiently which will greatly assist in reducing overflows on our streets this winter,’ said Councillor Badroodien. <br></div><div><br></div><div><span><figure class="subtopic-fullsize-img"><img class="responsive" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/DSC_9513.jpg" alt="" style="width:1021px;" /></figure></span><strong>What residents can do to help reduce sewer overflows and the sanitation service:</strong></div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Don't flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper. </strong>Anything else will block the pipes. Also don’t pour oil or wash leftover food down the sink or drain - it will block the pipes too. For more tips, see www.capetown.gov.za/blocked-sewers.</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Use the City’s solid waste services</strong> provided to get rid of your waste, not drains. </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Check there are no illegal stormwater-to-sewer cross-connections</strong> on your properties. </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Check that rainwater gutters</strong> <strong>don’t flow into the sewer system</strong>, as it overloads the network</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Report sewer blockages and overflows</strong> using one of the City’s official channels mentioned below so they can be cleared in a reasonable timeframe. </div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Report vandalism t</strong>o the sewage reticulation system and stolen or missing sewer manhole covers.</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Use the City’s drop-off facilities</strong> to get rid of any recyclables. See the City’s drop-offs for recyclables: <a href="https://bit.ly/3mhagVh">https://bit.ly/3mhagVh</a> <br></div><div><br></div><div><strong>Log service requests</strong></div><div>Report vandalism damages, sewer blockages, missing drain covers, burst pipes, leaks and water wastage using one of the following channels (Please provide the street address, and get a reference number):</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>WhatsApp</strong> 060 018 1505</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Online</strong> <a href="https://eservices1.capetown.gov.za/coct/wapl/zsreq_app/index.html">www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests</a><br></div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Email</strong> water@capetown.gov.za</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>SMS</strong> 31373 (maximum 160 characters. Standard rates apply)</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Call</strong> 0860 103 089</div><div>•<span style="white-space:pre;"> </span><strong>Visit a City walk-in centre</strong> (see www.capetown.gov.za/facilities to find the one closest to you)<br></div><p><br></p>

2024-05-15T22:00:00Z

GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d

Comment on the proposed lease of a portion of City-owned property in Sport Pienaar Road, Newlands
Tenders awarded
Think water
Pertussis - whooping cough