The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate, as part of its Winter Readiness Programme, is doing extensive proactive work in various areas across the city to help reduce sewer overflows and is well on its way to reaching its target of 100 km of proactive jetting by the end of June 2022. By the end of May 2022, the City had already completed 92 km of proactive jetting.
The work includes cleaning main sewer pipelines in most flood-prone areas using jetting machines to clear blockages,
How jetting works:
This approach makes use of statistical data such as sewer lines that experience recurrent blockages, annual rainfall data, winter C3 notifications and concentration heat maps to identify challenging areas where blockages are prevalent. The sewer lines are then listed for proactive jetting or bucket cleaning. This means that they are cleaned without a new C3 complaint being logged. Specialised truck units are used to pressure spray the sewers to clean them and the resultant debris is then caught and taken away for safe disposal.
The public can help the City prevent sewer pipes from being blocked. Blockages are mainly caused by foreign objects such as fats and oils, rags, litter, diapers, sanitary pads, tampons and rubble that enter the sewer network either by flushing, poured down kitchen sinks or via open manholes.
‘Generally, avoidable blockages remain the primary cause of sewer overflows and residents are reminded that they can help prevent such sewer blockages and overflows by disposing of their unwanted materials by using the appropriate solid waste collections and disposal services.
‘Only human waste, toilet paper and grey water should be disposed of toilets and via sinks respectively in homes and communities. It is illegal for residents to place any other materials into the system because it causes overflows due to blockages,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
Tips for residents:
- Put a strainer in the sink to catch food or other waste before it goes down the drain and creates blockages.
- Wipe cooking fats, oil or grease off the pan, and don’t pour it down the drain.
- Don’t flush nappies and sanitary products, they absorb water and expand, which causes blockages.
- Check that rainwater gutters don’t flow into the sewer system, as it overloads.
- Visit the City’s drop-off facilities to dispose of recyclables, electronics, garage waste and builder’s rubble
