Hartbeespoort sewage disaster – Tshwane cut electricity supply to sewer plant

29/10/2024News

All of Hartbeespoort’s sewage has been streaming into the Hartbeespoort Dam for the past two days after the City of Tshwane disconnected the electricity supply to the Rietfontein wastewater treatment plant because Madibeng Municipality failed to pay its arrears account of R2.5 million.

The Rietfontein sewage plant is at a standstill after the electricity supply was disconnected.

Madibeng councillor Graeme Peplar confirmed the disconnection on Tuesday morning after contacting officials at the municipality. “I have also contacted the Madibeng mayor to request urgent intervention after visiting the plant. I was promised feedback.”
The City of Tshwane cut the electricity supply to the plant early on Monday morning. According to the disconnection notice, Madibeng Municipality’s account of R2 506 442.59 is in arrears. “If the amount in arrears is not paid or arrangement for paying it off is not made, follow-up inspections will be conducted to determine whether the municipal service supply is still disconnected,” the notice reads.
The Rietfontein plant receives sewage from 14 pump stations from all suburbs on the northern side of Hartbeespoort Dam. Raw sewage has been streaming unhindered through the plant into the Swartspruit rivulet, through the Xanadu Eco Estate and into Hartbeespoort Dam since early Monday morning.
Kormorant asked the Madibeng municipality for comment on Monday after the electricity supply was disconnected but received no response. By the time of publishing Peplar had also not received feedback from municipal officials.
This follows the recent outcry over the Mogale City municipality that has been deliberately releasing thousands of litres of raw sewage into rivers such as the Crocodile River that runs into the Hartbeespoort Dam.