Elisenheim residents fed up with sewage smell
Municipality launches investigation
The Ujams plant has discharged partially treated sewage into the Klein Windhoek River due to an unexpected inflow that was more than double the usual volume.
"The sewer smell to which we are exposed is due to the dumping of sewage into the surrounding rivers. The odour is so bad that it wakes you up at night. No human can live like this!"
This is what a resident of Elisenheim told Network Media Hub after a sewage odour resurfaced last week in the area.
"In the past, and also recently, we have received numerous complaints about the smell from homeowners.
"The complaints are related to an odour allegedly caused by the dumping of untreated, raw sewage by the Ujams Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is owned and operated by the municipality," said Le-Hugo van Rooyen, the CEO of Trustco Properties, who gave assurances that the issue has been reported to the Windhoek municipality.
Van Rooyen emphasised that the Ujams plant has no connection with the estate, Elisenheim Property Development Company (EPDC) or the Elisenheim Owners Association (EOA), and made it clear that the odour arises from the alleged raw sewage being dumped by the Ujams plant.
Recurring problem
According to residents, the unpleasant smell has been lingering over the estate since last week.
The following message was shared with residents in a WhatsApp group: "They [Ujams] said that they received an inflow this morning that was more than double what they usually get, and it was a bit more than what the plant is designed to handle.
"So they had to discharge untreated water into the river again. There might be bad odours again. Hopefully not too severe."
A resident also pointed out that this can be harmful to nature, animals and underground water sources, and that the gases can cause numerous health problems such as headaches and nausea.
"Dumping sewage into the river because the plant can't handle it cannot possibly be the logical solution! Yet it seems as if everyone is washing their hands of guilt," a resident said.
According to Van Rooyen, complaints were received from February to June 2021, and again in July 2022, October 2022, November 2023 and May to June this year.
"Both the EPDC and the EOA immediately reported these complaints to the municipality. They are not currently involved in this process, but only in the sense of warning the municipality about any problems on the estate arising from issues with the municipality's infrastructure," Van Rooyen said.
Investigation launched
Municipality spokesperson Lydia Amutenya acknowledged that the municipality is aware that the volume of sewage received at the Ujams plant recently exceeded its design capacity.
"The unexpected inflow of sewage, totalling approximately 1 238 m³ over a period of four hours, posed a significant challenge for our operations.
"This volume was almost 50% more than the plant's design capacity, which led to the activation of rain mode protocols to manage the increased flow," Amutenya said, adding that it was unexpected and does not occur under normal circumstances.
Rain mode means that sewage is dumped into the river. According to sources, the dumped water is not fully treated but only undergoes fine screening and grit removal.
The partially treated water is then discharged into the river along with the fully treated water.
According to Amutenya, the municipality is investigating the root cause of the issue.
"We understand the concerns raised by the residents about the smell coming from the Klein Windhoek River and assure you that we are taking steps to address the situation promptly. Our team is committed to maintaining the highest standards of environmental responsibility and community well-being."
– [email protected]
This is what a resident of Elisenheim told Network Media Hub after a sewage odour resurfaced last week in the area.
"In the past, and also recently, we have received numerous complaints about the smell from homeowners.
"The complaints are related to an odour allegedly caused by the dumping of untreated, raw sewage by the Ujams Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is owned and operated by the municipality," said Le-Hugo van Rooyen, the CEO of Trustco Properties, who gave assurances that the issue has been reported to the Windhoek municipality.
Van Rooyen emphasised that the Ujams plant has no connection with the estate, Elisenheim Property Development Company (EPDC) or the Elisenheim Owners Association (EOA), and made it clear that the odour arises from the alleged raw sewage being dumped by the Ujams plant.
Recurring problem
According to residents, the unpleasant smell has been lingering over the estate since last week.
The following message was shared with residents in a WhatsApp group: "They [Ujams] said that they received an inflow this morning that was more than double what they usually get, and it was a bit more than what the plant is designed to handle.
"So they had to discharge untreated water into the river again. There might be bad odours again. Hopefully not too severe."
A resident also pointed out that this can be harmful to nature, animals and underground water sources, and that the gases can cause numerous health problems such as headaches and nausea.
"Dumping sewage into the river because the plant can't handle it cannot possibly be the logical solution! Yet it seems as if everyone is washing their hands of guilt," a resident said.
According to Van Rooyen, complaints were received from February to June 2021, and again in July 2022, October 2022, November 2023 and May to June this year.
"Both the EPDC and the EOA immediately reported these complaints to the municipality. They are not currently involved in this process, but only in the sense of warning the municipality about any problems on the estate arising from issues with the municipality's infrastructure," Van Rooyen said.
Investigation launched
Municipality spokesperson Lydia Amutenya acknowledged that the municipality is aware that the volume of sewage received at the Ujams plant recently exceeded its design capacity.
"The unexpected inflow of sewage, totalling approximately 1 238 m³ over a period of four hours, posed a significant challenge for our operations.
"This volume was almost 50% more than the plant's design capacity, which led to the activation of rain mode protocols to manage the increased flow," Amutenya said, adding that it was unexpected and does not occur under normal circumstances.
Rain mode means that sewage is dumped into the river. According to sources, the dumped water is not fully treated but only undergoes fine screening and grit removal.
The partially treated water is then discharged into the river along with the fully treated water.
According to Amutenya, the municipality is investigating the root cause of the issue.
"We understand the concerns raised by the residents about the smell coming from the Klein Windhoek River and assure you that we are taking steps to address the situation promptly. Our team is committed to maintaining the highest standards of environmental responsibility and community well-being."
– [email protected]
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