50 Year old sewerage system

THE City denies that the 50-year-old sewerage system in Observatory is the underlying cause of the exponential increase in e.coli levels in the Liesbeek River, but an expert in charge of maintaining the river says that the sewerage system is under strain and does require maintenance or an upgrade.
Recently, figures from the Sub-council 15 report showed a huge rise in the e.coli levels in the Liebeek River. E.coli, a common bacterium in the human digestive system, is not necessarily a problem, but high e.coli levels may be an indication of risk because disease-causing germs are most likely to be associated with increasing counts. The report warned people not to swim or fish in the river.
The sewerage system used in Observatory dates back fifty years and is built out of pipes made from a glazed type of clay almost like pottery.
Gerald Theron, retired sewerage, water and sanitation manager for the City, said it would cost billions to replace the sewerage system. Not only will the City have to replace the main pipes, but residents will also need to replace their own pipes connecting their plumbing to the City’s system.
Gerald said that it is mostly not the pipes which are the problem, but the joints. The old clay pipes use ropes which are corked into the joints to seal them instead of rubber which are used on the newer pipes.The ropes decay and rot away, causing the joints to leak. The clay also starts to crack due to old age, causing the pipes to leak.
Gerald doubted the link between the increasing e.coli counts in the river and leakage, explaining that the leakage is minimal and that the sewerage flows efficiently to the Raapenberg pump station in Mowbray from where it is pumped to the Athlone wastewater treatment works.
But Jason Mingo, Liesbeek Maintenance Project manager, said: "My personal view on the system is that it is under strain and does require maintenance and possible upgrade.”
He says that from time to time there is “back flow from the sewage system which then spills into the storm water system and by doing so enters our rivers”.
Jason said, however, that these events are “infrequent and isolated” and that it is not justified to blame one factor for the increasing ecoli levels. He mentions increased birdlife as another possible cause of the increase, as well as homeless people living on the banks of the river and pollution carried by wind into the river.
Gerald said that the municipality does spot checks on the pipes by inserting cameras to find cracks or leaking. They are given a budget to fix the pipes in the city, and focus on areas with the most problems. The city will respond to specific complaints from residents, he said.