The eThekwini Municipality announced its festive season plan on Tuesday, assuring that all pump stations along the Umhlanga Promenade are operational and experiencing no overflows.

This update was part of the eThekwini Water and Sanitation network operational plan, which was presented during an Executive Committee meeting.

According to Sibusiso Vilane, the acting director of the Water and Sanitation Unit, the plan includes provisions for addressing diesel refilling, as well as the removal of silt and screening at the pump stations.

He stated that an action plan for pump stations affecting beaches has been sent to area managers for immediate implementation.

Vilane stated that the pump station rising main in Armstrong Avenue, La Lucia, is currently under construction, and the temporary line is operational.

He said all pump stations are checked daily to remove debris and ensure that pumps are operational.

“Five pump stations on the Umhlanga Promenade have generators to assist when there are power outages. These pump stations are the ones that would overflow to the swimming beaches. The telemetry system in these pump stations gives early warning of problems at the pump stations, and our response is within one hour,” he said. 

Vilane said that the municipality will ensure that sewer blockages in Umhlanga are attended to timeously. This, he said, is due to the relationship the municipality has with the Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP), which oversees the Umhlanga Promenade and Business area. 

The UIP, he said, gives direct early warning of sewer blockages.

Vilane said two additional blockage crews are operating in the Umhlanga precinct due to the influx of visitors. 

“The municipality plans to flush the line twice a week and perform proactive maintenance of the entire beachfront sewer line. Hotspots with restaurants will be flushed regularly in areas like Umhlanga, Florida Road, and Amanzimtoti. The municipality will also implement 24-hour monitoring of critical pump stations to be managed by the area manager.” 

Some of the key challenges facing the municipality during the festive season include:

• Increased demand for services.
• Tourist influx increases wastewater volumes.
• High usage at beaches, hotels, and informal areas.
• More blockages from non-flushable items.
• Overloaded sanitation facilities.

Vilane said there is a high public expectation for zero sewer spillages, which damage tourism and the city’s reputation, and lead to beach closures that harm economic activity. 

However, the environmental contamination risks the city faces could be attributed to budget and resource constraints; limited operational budget for peak season; overtime and emergency costs increase; and shortage of critical spares and fleet capacity. 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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