Sewage overflows in Honeydew Ridge

Residents who live inside the Habanos Complex in Strauss Avenue have been experiencing sewage overflows every time a big storm comes along.

According to managing agent Keith Coyne from Cobalt Property Consulting, this has been an ongoing problem for the last two years.

“It’s a problem that the City chooses to ignore as they have sent out employees to come and assess the issues in the past. There has been a sewer problem ever since we took over the complex in the sewer at the bottom of the complex as it overflows and the people who live in the lower units are not able to use their toilets as this makes the problem worse.”

Coyne added that the problem starts after heavy rainstorms when the pressure forces the drains to overflow and this in turn turns the entire complex into a mess as there is usually human excrement and toilet paper running between the houses.

He pointed out, “Not only does it smell horrible but the residents are complaining about the flies and how unhealthy it is. The complex has easily spent over

R150 000 on plumbers who try to locate the problem by sending down cameras and they have also dug up lines removing anything that might possibly be blocking the line.

“I have received numerous reference numbers and I have spoken to Environmental Health and representatives from the City of Joburg (CoJ) but the problems remain.”

He added that the complex is behind a wetland that has storm drains and said that he noted that storm water was bubbling through the sewer’s gully with leaves, sticks, plastic and rubbish. “The complex sewer lines are connected to the storm water drains and I think this is where the problem originates from.”

Ward 97 councillor Jaco Engelbrecht mentioned that he is aware of the problem and is putting pressure on CoJ to rectify the problem as soon as possible.

Comment from City of Joburg is still awaited.