Sewage is spilling into Cofimvaba River
Villagers and livestock have been drinking from rancid river water
Raw sewage has been spilling into the Cofimvaba River in the Eastern Cape because of a faulty wastewater treatment plant. Photos: Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik
People living in villages around Cofimvaba, Eastern Cape, say they have been using polluted water from the river to cook and do laundry.
This is because a faulty wastewater treatment plant is spilling raw sewage into the Cofimvaba River, affecting water sources downstream.
Sithembele Plata, chairperson of the Cofimvaba Ratepayers Association, says the Chris Hani District Municipality appointed a contractor to refurbish the Cofimvaba Wastewater Treatment Works three years ago. But sewage continues to flow into the river.
He said the aerators at the plant are broken. He has raised the issue with the district municipality to no avail. “On several occasions, we asked the district to test the water downstream. They promised to do so, but never came back with results,” said Plata.
Plata added that people and livestock in Cofimvaba, Mahlubini, Ndungwana and Qombolo drink the river water, which is polluted and has a rancid smell.
We visited the treatment plant and saw no workers on site. The fence was damaged, and cattle were grazing inside. Raw sewage was flowing directly from the plant into the Cofimvaba River, which flows into the Mahlubini River before joining the Tsomo River.
In response to GroundUp, the district municipality admitted that only one of the two aerators at the plant is working.
Municipal manager Gcobani Mashiyi’s office said in a response that a contractor was appointed to do “comprehensive assessments” of water quality and wastewater treatment infrastructure in Cofimvaba. The outcome of these assessments will be used to motivate for funds to upgrade the plant.
The municipality is aware of challenges in Cofimvaba and attends to them regularly. Some spillages are because of vandalism at a pump station in Joe Slovo, a few metres from the river, Mashiyi’s office said.
Water quality is regularly tested upstream, at the treatment plant and outlet points. Day-to-day maintenance is conducted by municipal staff, while complex and extensive work is outsourced through a three-year tender.
The municipality has appointed a Professional Service Provider and is planning a permanent solution to upgrade bulk sewer mains, wastewater treatment works, and water treatment works.
The council urged residents to report water and sanitation challenges immediately.
The municipality did not answer questions about the three-year tender, including its value, scope of work, and whether contracted work was completed.
GroundUp previously reported on another unfinished wastewater treatment project in Tsomo, which also falls under the Chris Hani District Municipality.
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