MILNERTON residents are celebrating the news that a directive from the Green Scorpions will finally force the City to fix the multiple sources of pollution in the Diep River and Milnerton lagoon.
The order was confirmed by Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell who said he had taken a decision to modify an existing directive issued to the City regarding the Diep River catchment following an appeal lodged by the City.
“The modification to the existing directive includes requesting the City to submit revised incident protocols and contingency plans for the Koeberg and Sanddrift pump stations.
“The directive remains in effect and instructs the City to continue to implement its action plan to address the pollution and degradation concerns,” said Bredell.
Bredell said the City is currently implementing more than 50 interventions in ongoing efforts to improve the water quality and reduce the pollution in the catchment area and the lagoon.
“This includes major infrastructure upgrades that are at various stages in the Diep River catchment. The largest of these is the R2.2 billion Potsdam Waste Water Treatment Works Upgrade which is expected to be complete by August 2025,” said Bredell.
Milnerton Central Residents Association secretary Liete van der Eems said: “Local residents are enormously relieved that the directive issued by the Green Scorpions will finally force the City to acknowledge and fix the multiple sources of pollution in the Diep River and Milnerton Lagoon.
“Should the City of Cape Town not adhere to the strict conditions set out in the directive they may be held criminally liable and will face fines up to R10 million or individuals within the City may face imprisonment for up to 10 years.”
Meanwhile, water and waste Mayco member Xanthea Limberg said the City’s water and sanitation teams cleared 122 000 sewer blockages last year and that approximately 75% of these cases were the result of misuse of the sewer system.
Limberg said: “The City spent approximately R350 million last year specifically due to misuse of the system. Tyres, old clothes, shoes, building rubble, rags, newspaper, nappies, feminine hygiene products, condoms, wet wipes, animal carcasses, food waste and hardened cooking fats are among the items that are found illegally dumped into our sewer system, which is causing the majority of about 300 sewer overflows city-wide a day.
“The City will continue to respond to service requests and clear blockages as quickly as we can, but meaningful improvement and reduction in overflows requires a shift in behaviour and habits in society. We all need to be much more conscious of what we flush down the toilets.”