A city dental practice has had to turn away patients as they struggle to operate without water. Making matters worse is that in repairing the burst water pipe, workers ruptured a sewer running alongside, leaving an open pool of raw sewage throughout the weekend.
A city dental practice has had to turn away patients as they struggle to operate without water. Making matters worse is that in repairing the burst water pipe, workers ruptured a sewer running alongside, leaving an open pool of raw sewage throughout the weekend.
The municipal workers battled frantically to stem the tide of sewage, which gushed down Anglo African Street around 11am on Friday.
The leak was eventually stopped, but by yesterday morning raw sewage had pooled in a 3m trench on the corner of Anglo African and New streets.
Despite efforts to spread disinfectant in the area, businesses in the area complained that it was a serious health hazard and was putting customers off.
Standing outside their dental surgery on New Street yesterday morning, doctors Etienne Le Roux and Carl Buchner were frustrated and dismayed.
They’d had to turn away patients – some from as far as Bedford and Port Alfred – their work crippled without water.
“We will have to get a private plumber in to build a backup water facility with tanks,” Buchner said.
Like other Grahamstown businesses, the water crisis is moving them to plan for the worst.
“We’re back to the old days of just pulling teeth, that’s all we can do without water,” Le Roux said jokingly.
The sewage pool is directly outside the main entrance to Buddy's Liquor Store. “It’s a disgusting mess and nothing is being done," said manager David Thompson.
"I have phoned several times and no one has come.”
