Durban residents ‘under siege’ from stench

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Durban - Residents have complained that a foul smell apparently stemming from the Ottawa-Verulam waste waterworks has permeated their communities yet again. They believed the stench of human waste carried airborne bacteria and could result in people getting sick. The residents of Phoenix, Ottawa, Verulam, Amaoti and surrounding areas said they had been denied their “God-given right” to breathe fresh air for the past two weeks. They appealed to the city’s water and sanitation unit to solve the problem. Woodford resident Errol Moodley said he was worried that after sending multiple complaints to the municipality, he did not get any feedback. “I addressed the issue with the city’s health inspectors who have since advised me to address it with the water and sanitation department.

“We are under siege with this disgusting smell that is having a negative health impact on all of us. We are not talking carbon emissions or exhaust fumes here, but airborne bacteria coming from faeces that carry a multitude of diseases. We can put up with the load shedding, as miserable and inconvenient as it is, but how long can we hold our breath?

One cannot even stand outdoors without having to breathe this foul bacteria filling the air,” he said.

The greater Phoenix area had over the years experienced similar problems when it was reported that the local waste waterworks had not been functioning at its optimum because of three damaged pumps and non-functioning dry beds.

City spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the plant was audited by the municipal ombudsman and the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs and it was found to be functional.

He said the plant had no dryers, and that the dewatering equipment was operating. He said that last year, only one of the four pumps was working, but the situation had since been resolved.

However, the stink has now returned.

Jayce Naidoo from Verulam said the odour was so potent that he sometimes found it difficult to breathe.

“It stinks so bad. We can’t even have a cup of tea or put food on the table. This has gone on for long enough. We have phoned everyone for help, but no one seems to care.

“I am also an asthmatic patient and my chest gets heavy with the smell. We are really worried about what this is doing to our health,” said Naidoo.

The municipality this week had not responded to the questions by the time of publication.

Sunday Tribune