Sewer pollution spoils South Coast

IOL pic mar1 usa toxic cities pollution

Independent Newspapers

Stock picture: Margate, a popular holiday destination in KZN, will have a sewerage pump station overhauled at a cost of R24.5m. Photo: Bonile Bam

KwaZulu-Natal – Margate’s sewerage pump station would be overhauled at a cost of R24.5 million following a recommendation by the national minister of water and environmental affairs that the money be allocated.

This was Minister Edna Molewa’s response to questions by the DA’s Sayedali Shah. Molewa said it was recommended that the sewer pipeline at Margate be replaced and the pump station and other infrastructure be upgraded.

This follows ongoing pollution into the Margate and Port Edward estuaries from sewerage infrastructure managed by the Ugu District Municipality .

The popular tourist destinations have been plagued by sewerage spillage since June, with the worst case recorded in September when three pumps broke down at the Margate pump station, resulting in the closure of Margate beach.

The upgrade was approved on August 31 to be registered on the Municipal Infrastructure Grant. The project was expected to last 18 months and was scheduled to be completed in April 2014.

DA ward councillor George Henderson said charges should have been laid against Ugu for failure to maintain the systems. There were up to 10 systems in a similar predicament.

Michael Bertram, the CEO of Ugu South Coast Tourism, welcomed the news. “We need investment into a lot of aging infrastructure.”

Bertram said the beaches were the South Coast’s gold mines, and were critical to the area’s economic well being.

”The municipality is even looking to develop five new pilot beaches in the Ugu district for the next season.” – The Mercury

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Sewer pollution spoils South Coast