Cape Town - In preparation for the upcoming winter rains, the City’s road infrastructure management (RIM) department teams in Newlands, Imizamo Yethu and Masiphumelele conducted clean-up operations on Tuesday to mitigate potential flood risks.
The City said illegal dumping was still the biggest reason why the metro’s stormwater system could not cope after heavy rains.
“Teams from the City’s RIM depots are targeting the areas that are worst affected by extensive illegal dumping and the blocking of stormwater drains.
“The depots have found everything from televisions, building rubble, bags of sand, tyres to actual manhole covers in the system,” said urban mobility mayco member Rob Quintas.
“The illegal and irresponsible disposal of cooking oil, grease and fats into our stormwater system results in a hard sludge which acts as a cork, blocking up critical drainage and causing flooding and misery for surrounding residents.
“During one of the winter preparation interventions at Lagoon Beach in Milnerton, the local depot team even had to remove a paddle ski from one of the stormwater pipes, where stormwater discharges into the Diep River.
“In most of the problem areas, catch pits are being used as storage facilities for items like clothing and bedding. This causes havoc in the system once the heavy rains start.”
Quintas said the misuse and abuse of the stormwater networks was the cause of flooding, especially in higher populated areas like Joe Slovo and Dunoon.
Report blocked sewers, pump station failures and vandalism to
* WhatsApp 060 018 1505
* Online: www.capetown.gov.za/servicerequests
* Email water@capetown.gov.za
* SMS 31373 (maximum 160 characters. Standard rates apply)
* Call 0860 103 089
* Visit a City walk-in centre (see www.capetown.gov.za/facilities to find the one closest to you)
Submit photographs of the incident via WhatsApp, online and email.
Cape Times