Grahamstown is sitting on an environmental health time bomb, as sewage pours into its river systems. CEO of Fort England Psychiatric Hospital Dr Roger Walsh warned this week that an outbreak similar to the one in which three children in Bloemhof died last month could happen here.
Grahamstown is sitting on an environmental health time bomb, as sewage pours into its river systems. CEO of Fort England Psychiatric Hospital Dr Roger Walsh warned this week that an outbreak similar to the one in which three children in Bloemhof died last month could happen here.
Three babies died in the North West township after coming into contact with sewage-contaminated water in the Vaal River. The babies were seven months, 13 months and 1 year old.
Hundreds others had diarrhoea as a result of contact with contaminated water.
The North West health department denied claims of a cholera outbreak, pending the outcome of tests.
Speaking to Grocott's Mail this week, Walsh warned that the raw sewage entering Belmont Valley behind the perimeter of Fort England would similarly lead to disease.
"A disastrous outbreak of water-borne diseases is waiting to happen and this could be easily avoided if officials performed their duties," Walsh said.
When Grocott's Mail reporters arrived at Fort England on Tuesday, they were greeted by an unbearable stench as sewage poured from a hole below the hospital, joining more sewage spills into the stream used by local residents and children.
"This sewage carries harmful pathogens," Walsh said. "It gets to Belmont Valley farms to irrigate vegetables that are sold back at our local market."
Walsh said the contaminated water contains extremely high levels of E. coli.
E. coli bacteria live in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. A person can get an E. coli infection by coming into contact with the faeces of humans or animals, he explained. This can happen when you drink water or eat food contaminated by faeces. The bacteria can infect raw fruit and vegetables.
According to Walsh, the old and very young, including HIV-positive patients, are at high risk of complications from E. coli infection. Results of tests on bacteria levels in the valley were not available from Makana's Environmental health department at the time of publishing.
"The [Bloemhof disaster] is going to happen here if the municipality doesn't fix the problem," Walsh said.
Belmont Valley farmer and co-owner of Ingram and Lungi Fruit and Veg, Ingram Reed, said the contaminated water barely affected his farm.
"The sewage is worse at the top near Fort England, but as it goes down it becomes much better," Reed said. He said while large volumes of contaminated water pass his farm, he has a very effective chemical irrigation system to deal with bacteria.
"We use a system called Drip-irrigation, which is basically injecting the water straight to the roots of the plants with an anti-bacterial chemical called Spore Attack," said Reed.
Meanwhile the hospital's own internal infrastructure problems are far from over.
The hospital bought a hydro blaster machine in January, with the intention of unblocking the sewage systems at the hospital.
A hydro blaster injects water and air through sanitation pipes under extremely high pressure, to remove blockages and keep pipes clear.
"The machine is pointless, because the big problem is with the municipality's blocked line," a frustrated Walsh said. "The municipal main line sewerage system interferes with the institution's, causing blockages and backing up of sewage into the property's inspection covers."
On Monday patients at one of the hospital's wards were forced to remain indoors after sewage blasted open an inspection cover and overflowed into the courtyard.
"We couldn't conduct outdoor exercises that day, while we waited for the plumbers to fix the problem. It was discovered that the municipality's blocked sewerage line caused the mess."
Walsh said in some wards the municipality's blocked line caused constant blockages and backing up of sewage into their system.
Director of Technical services and infrastructure Thembinkosi Myalato said the widespread sewage spills in Grahamstown are due to an overstressed sewer system and ageing infrastructure.
"The zoning of single residential houses into flats is one of the factors. Rapid development of the town, storm water inlets to the sewer system, [dscarding of]foreign objects such as paper, sanitary pads and nappies into toilets and vandalism of manhole lids for scrap metal are all factors contributing to continous blockages," Myalato said.
He said the municipality has funds and has appointed a contractor to fix the Thatha sewerage line in Joza.
"We admit that is not enough, because we still need more to upgrade the sewer line leading to Belmont Valley," he said.
Myalato said that as part of the intervention programme, plumbers visit the Belmont valley stream regularily to inspect and unblock the system.
"They are attending to the matter. And as a matter of fact, we also have a hydroblaster," Myalato said.
