Vhembe freshwater contamination: District municipality in uphill battle to stem threat of diseases’ outbreak
THE Vhembe region in Limpopo is facing threat of a widespread cholera and other diseases’ outbreak due to wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) spilling raw sewage into rivers, streams and dams.
The Vhembe district municipality (VDM) manages all the WWTWs in the region of which 13 were highlighted in the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Green Drop Report to be in critical condition.
The municipality has received directives to rectify the situation or risk facing criminal charges. The directives related to Mhinga ponds, Musina, Mutale ponds, Nancefield, Tshifulanani ponds, Vleifontein ponds, Vuwani ponds, Waterval, Biaba ponds and Makhado
The situation again came under the spotlight when Water and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina, answered a question in Parliament recently.
Majodina spoke of the state of wastewater treatment works specific to raw sewage spillage into freshwater resources.
Majodina based the answer on information contained in the Green Drop Report which is an annual assessment of the function in the wastewater management, and it also identifies the risks.
In Limpopo, the VDM was mentioned in the Green Report as one of the biggest culprits in spilling untreated sewage into freshwater resources.
The report also highlighted lack of skills and training in relation to process controllers and supervisors not aligned with the regulations requirements, and that evidence of mechanical maintenance was lacking.
However, VDM spokesperson, Matodzi Ralushai, has indicated that measures were in place to arrest the situation.
He said three WWTWs [Musina, Nancefield, Campbell] were currently undergoing refurbishments through the water services infrastructure grant while Makhado flow has been diverted to Rietvlei until the municipality comes with a funding model.
The Biaba pond system which discharges sewage into the Mambedi River was also currently undergoing refurbishment. All other pond systems were currently not discharging any sewage, Ralushai insisted.
He said the deterioration of the facilities was due to aged infrastructure, and also limited budget to maintain and refurbish them.
“Lack of maintenance plans to service infrastructure has resulted in inconsistency in terms of maintenance,” he said.
Asked whether the rivers, streams and dams were health risk-free and that households were receiving clean and reliable water, Ralushai said:
“The municipality has embarked on to ensure that all plants are compliant, there is constant monitoring through water quality teams to check the profile of the discharge into the natural resources.
“Quality monitoring is also done on the treated water from all water treatment works and water that is flowing into taps of residents.”
Other Limpopo WWTWs found to be in critical condition are in the Mopani and Sekhukhune and Mogalakwena , with riverine of sewage running on the streets a common occurrence in some towns and townships in the province.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has reportedly laid 10 charges against four municipalities in Limpopo between October 2022 and November 2023 for dysfunctional sewage systems.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo this year also further laid criminal charges against Maruleng, Tzaneen and Modimolle-Mookgopong municipalities for sewage spills.
The party has submitted a motion with notice at the next sitting of the provincial legislature to debate the state of freshwater resources.
It said the concerning state of freshwater resources will further exacerbate the struggle to provide drinking water to communities which is “a constitutional obligation for which the SA Human Rights Commission has already found the Limpopo government wanting.”