Benoni sewage crisis: Residents fear more sewer overflows as rains approach

With spring rains expected in the coming weeks and summer rains only a few months away, residents of Boat Lake in Rynfield, Benoni, Ekurhuleni, are bracing for the return of a decade-long sewage problem.

Residents say rising water levels in the nearby pan during rainy periods submerge sewer manholes and the pump station serving their homes, allowing stormwater to enter the sewerage system, causing sewage to flow back into their properties.

Daniel Abreu, a resident, said the suburb’s homes are situated close to a nature conservation area and the pump station, with a manhole at each property.

“Because there is no servitude or run-off for the dam water when it rains, the rainwater covers those manholes,” he said.

“The pump station gets completely flooded, all the sewage goes into the dam, and then water, overflowing with sewage, comes back into our properties, subjecting us to contamination that risks the health and livelihoods of many community members.

“The smell is unbearable because you basically have an open sewer in your yard ...” — Boat Lake resident Daniel Abreu

“The smell is unbearable because you basically have an open sewer in your yard, and still the municipality has no solution. They just cover manholes.”

Abreu said the sewage overflows had affected more than 30 homes, but the impact extended beyond residents’ properties.

“The dam used to have wildlife, which has since declined owing to this problem. When the water levels are high, even the municipality can’t come to service their pump station,” he said.

The situation has improved temporarily following limited winter rainfall, which has lowered water levels.

However, residents fear the reprieve will end when heavier rains arrive.

“We are expecting rain in the coming weeks or so,” Abreu said.

“Without a doubt, when it does rain, the sewer will overflow. It has been like that for years. No one has helped us.”

For Wanda Gray, who has lived in Boat Lake for 40 years, obtaining help from the City of Ekurhuleni has been a struggle. She said residents were sent from one department to another before receiving temporary relief.

Gray said municipal workers were exposed to danger when carrying out temporary repairs in areas affected by sewage problems.

She said a sample of the overflowing sewage that residents sent for testing had tested positive for E. coli, certain pathogenic strains of which produce toxins that can cause severe illness, food poisoning, and dangerous complications.

“It’s a health risk. We have a lot of fishermen and children who enjoy being in the water who shouldn’t be entering the dam, but they are because it’s human nature, unfortunately,” she said.

The municipality said the problem was caused by elevated water levels in the pan, which submerge sewer manholes along the pan and the sewerage pump station.

“This allows stormwater and groundwater to infiltrate the sewer system, exceeding its hydraulic capacity and resulting in sewer blockages,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

The municipality receives a high volume of sewage-related complaints from the area during the rainy season, he said.

As a temporary measure, Dlamini said the city’s operations and maintenance teams will implement level controls to relieve sewer lines inundated by stormwater infiltration.

The department has spent about R150,000 in the last five years on unblocking and covering the manholes, Dlamini said.

However, he acknowledged that the sewer pump station remains vulnerable and that the stormwater drainage system requires urgent maintenance to mitigate flooding along the pan and prevent stormwater infiltration into the sewer system.

“The roads and stormwater department must immediately assume full responsibility for the stormwater system in the pan and urgently undertake all necessary maintenance up to the flood line,” Dlamini said.

Jacob Mamabolo, Gauteng MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs, raised concerns about the Boat Lake sewage problems last month.

“The Boat Lake situation highlights the need for integrated planning across water, sanitation, roads, and stormwater departments,” he said.

“The city must develop a funded and time-bound plan for a permanent solution.”

Gray said residents remained concerned about whether the financially stretched city had enough money to address the problem.

Sowetan