The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has installed mechanical screens at many of its sewer pump stations across this city to help protect its sewer infrastructure and ensure they perform optimally.
About the screens:
· They trap solid waste that is flushed down the toilet or placed in the sewer system via drains or open manholes;
· Operational teams manually hoist the screens up and clean off all the solid waste that is trapped in the screen at least twice a day;
· About 260kg of waste is extracted at each pump station daily and then removed and transported to a solid waste dumping facility such as Vissershoek Landfill.
‘Though it sounds like a very laborious task, it is a necessary step to help protect the City’s vital pump station infrastructure from damage and breakdowns, and inevitably reduce the risk of sewer overflows to improve the lives of residents. Previously, there was no need for screens with this functionality but over the years the sewerage system has become more frequently used as a dumping area. Rubbish and foreign material can also find their way into the sewer as a result of vandalism, misuse and illegal stormwater-to-sewer connections.
‘While the screens have been installed and have been optimising the functionality of our pump stations, residents also have a part to play to help prevent sewer overflows by not dumping waste illegally – whether on land or in our sewer network via the toilet or sink. Waste such as rags, condoms, sanitary pads, wet wipes and nappies should not be flushed down the toilet. Often items such as shoes, clothing, plastic toys, plastic bottles and other random household items are trapped by the screens. None of this belongs in our sewer system,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
The City encourages all residents to adopt responsible waste disposal practices to protect our sewer system and reduce overflows. For more tips, visit www.capetown.gov.za/blocked-sewers
