Stones block Bloemhof main sewer

Johannesburg - A blocked pipeline resulted in sewage flowing into the Bloemhof Vaal River, the DR Ruth Segomotsi District Municipality said on Wednesday.

"Stones were deliberately pushed into the pipeline by unknown people through the manhole," said spokesperson Joseph Motlhasedi.

He said the pipeline that conveyed sewage from Boitumelong and Bloemhof was blocked on Thursday [last week].

"This incident has not had any effect on drinking water from the purification plant at this point in time as the problem is being adequately addressed."

He said previously, foreign objects, including stones wrapped in the blankets, were removed from the manholes.

"The district municipality as the water authority finds it distressing and inconveniencing to spend time dealing with elements of sabotage rather than real service delivery," he said.

In June two babies died in Bloemhof of diarrhoea after drinking contaminated municipal water.

"It was unfortunate that the team that worked on the blockage had to stop the supply of clean drinking water temporarily, during the past week without notice, while fixing the sewer spillage problem.

"We offer our humble apologies for this inconvenience."