Foreign objects in sewer lines have been cited as the cause of major sewage spills in Nelson Mandela Bay, including a leak which resulted in the closure of a beach last week.
Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Municipality has since urged the community to refrain from discarding any foreign objects into the sewer system.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 8, the NMB Municipality revealed that scaffolding or a ladder lodged inside the sewer line was responsible for the sewage spill at Kings Beach.
“The NMB Municipality wishes to advise residents that the source of the blockage has been identified as either a scaffolding board or a ladder that had become lodged in the sewer line,” the statement read. “Residents are requested to avoid throwing foreign objects down sewer lines as they lead to obstructions to the mains.”
At the time, the municipality closed Kings Beach for several days to safeguard the health and safety of residents, visitors, and beach users.
The major spill was cleared up within days.
“Thanks to the swift and effective response by our municipal teams, two sewer blockages caused by foreign objects were cleared. Municipal officials acted immediately to unblock the system, conduct thorough clean-up operations, and carry out water quality testing in line with existing standards,” the statement continued.
“Let’s keep our coastline clean and report any illegal dumping or suspicious activity to help us protect our natural environment.”
Meanwhile, the popular Hobie Beach Parkrun was affected in the same incident due to a “river” of sewage forcing the cancellation of the event twice (on Saturday, July 5, and Saturday, July 12). At the time, organisers of Hobie Beach Parkrun described the sewage spill on a social media post as six to eight metres wide.
“Unfortunately, there is a big sewage leak on our beach route towards the harbour wall,” the post read. “The matter has been reported to the municipality as it’s clearly a huge infrastructure failure.”
The source of the spillage was initially hard to find due to a swampy terrain, overgrown vegetation and dense trees in the area. Meanwhile, in a separate incident on Sunday, July 6, a 600mm diameter sewer pipe failed in South End causing the contamination of the stormwater system.
Questions sent to NMB Municipality media spokesperson, Sithembiso Soyaya, went unanswered.
Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa Algoa Bay chair, Dr Gary Koekemoer, pointed out various factors that lead to blocked sewer systems.
“It’s an extensive system that carries our sewage water to wastewater treatment works. The problem lies in people flushing nappies, human waste, rocks and all kinds of things that block the pipes , much like arteries that clog the heart.”
When a sewer system is blocked, it usually overflows from a manhole cover and then enters the nearest stormwater drains, he explained.
“The infrastructure was built in the 1960s and 1970s and we need to address those issues underground. The municipality has been working hard; however, a lack of staff, funding and vandalism at pump stations remains a big problem.”
Koekemoer added that sewage poses various health risks to people and the environment.
“What happens is that it settles in rivers, groundwater, and the sea, and its impact is manifold. For instance, frogs and fish die.
“The health risk for communities is severe, as sewage carries waterborne diseases such as cholera, which poses a major threat if children play or swim in it.”
