Question NW543 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

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13 September 2019 - NW543

Profile picture: Bagraim, Mr M

Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

(1)(a) What number of wastewater treatment plants are currently in operation in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality and (b) what is the exact location of each treatment plant; (2) whether all the plants are functioning optimally; if not, (a) which ones are not functioning optimally and (b) what are the reasons the plants are not functioning optimally; (3) whether any untreated waste water is running in any stream and/or river; if so, what plans are in place to prevent this?

Reply:

1. (a) There are 16 Wastewater treatment works (WwTW) in operation in Joe Gqabi District in the Eastern Cape Province.

(b) The exact location of each treatment plant is presented with GPS Coordinates in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Location of treatment plants in Joe Gqabi District Municipality

Description

WwTW Type

Observation

Latitude

Longitude

Aliwal North WwTW

Activated sludge

Prime Condition

-30.6799448770

26.7160608150

Mount Fletcher WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Vandalised

-30.6838888890

28.5105555560

Maclear WwTW

Activated sludge

Prime Condition

-31.0605555560

28.3377777780

Maclear WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Vandalised

-31.0607090030

28.3378840060

Prentjiesberg WwTW

Activated sludge

Operational

-31.1886054290

28.2514474910

Steynsburg WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Operational

-31.2844444440

25.8075000000

Oviston WwTW

Activated sludge

Operational

-30.6964892960

25.7636853450

Burgersdorp WwTW

Activated sludge

Prime Condition

-31.0058333330

26.3380555560

Jamestown WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Prime Condition

-31.1419444440

26.8075000000

Sterkspruit WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Vandalised

-30.5169444440

27.3686111110

Sterkspruit WwTW

Package plant

Operational

-30.5169444440

27.3686111110

Lady Grey WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Prime Condition

-30.7094444440

27.1825000000

Barkley East WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Operational

-30.9652777780

27.6044444440

Barkley East 2 WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Operational

-30.9521538460

27.5953846150

Herschel WwTW

Activated sludge

Operational

-30.6109075780

27.1590028000

Ugie WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Operational

-31.1880555560

28.2500000000

(2)(a) The Mount Fletcher, Maclear and Sterkspruit Waste Water Treatment Works are currently being monitored by my department as they are not functioning properly.

(b) The three treatment works are not functioning optimally due to poor operations and maintenance, overloading and the challenge of vandalism as indicated in the table below:

Table 2: Plants that are not functioning optimally and the reasons thereof:

(a) Not functioning optimally

Process

(b) Reasons not functioning optimally

Mount Fletcher WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Poor O&M, Overloading & Vandalism

Maclear WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Poor O&M, Overloading & Vandalism

Sterkspruit WwTW

Oxidation ponds

Vandalised

(3) Yes, the three WwTW not functioning optimally are discharging partially treated effluent into the local streams. Table 3 below shows the local streams into which each plant (as mentioned above) discharges partially treated effluent.

Table 3: Streams/Rivers impacted by partially treated effluent

WWTW not functioning optimally

River

Mount Fletcher WwTW

Tokwana River

Maclear WwTW

Mooi River

Sterkspruit WwTW

Sterkspruit River

The Department, through the Eastern Cape Regional office has been in communication with the local municipalities to resolve this issue. Non-compliance letters requesting the action plan to address the issues were sent to the local municipalities. The action plan will be monitored by the Department.

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