Cape Town - A Table View homeowner is annoyed that her complaints to the City over a period of two years about raw sewage flowing into her property have fallen on deaf ears.
Sunridge, Table View homeowner Desraye Auret said: “I have been having a problem with the sewerage system for two years now. When the municipality sewerage system is blocked, it overflows on my property.
“After numerous tickets logged, and calls to the City, I reached out to ward councillor Joy Solomon to ask for her assistance, as the matter was not being addressed. Unfortunately, my pleas seem to be falling on deaf ears.”
In a one-line response to a list of queries from the Argus about the matter, the City said: “The City’s water and sanitation department is aware of this matter and will respond to the enquiry in due course.”
Auret shared one of the responses she received in March 2020 from the ward councillor in which Solomon said: “I am unfortunately not at liberty to instruct any official in the execution of his duties, but I can ask for a progress report.
“If Mr Klein, who is an official from water and sanitation, did suggest a non-return valve as a more permanent solution, then he will have to motivate it, go out on tender for a contractor to do the installation, if there is no one suitable on the City database. These things do take time.”
In the email Solomon said she would email Klein and ask what the time frame would be, but added that as the lockdown had just been announced she didn’t think help would be at hand until the end of April that year.
“That said, the City’s emergency services, which includes sewer overflows, will be maintained throughout the lockdown. I know that’s cold comfort, but as soon as I get a response from Mr Klein, I will advise,” said Solomon.
Auret said there had been seven incidents in 2019, four in 2020 and another which happened on March 31 this year.
She blames what she refers to as “the constant developments within the area that have put a strain on the already poor sewerage system in our area”.
Environmental activist and area resident Philippe Roche said: “This raw sewage obviously also washes out into stormwater drains and into the nature reserve directly. I am certain there are other incidents like this discharging raw sewage into the Diep River and the nature reserve.
“It is very disappointing that the DA-led City is willing to let their voters, ratepayers and residents live like this, considering the increase in tax revenue raised as well as the levies and water tariffs that never went down.”
Cape Argus