Toxic fumes from sewer overflow in eThekwini leave residents and pets struggling

Residents of Mount Vernon and Hillary in eThekwini say their health is being affected by sewer problems in the area, where effluent is discharged into a nearby stream connected to the Umhlatuzana River.

They stated that the toxic fumes have caused serious problems, including the burning of the eyes, nose, and throat. One resident explained that the smell is unbearable, and at times, pets faint, and now have to be kept indoors.

The sewer overflow in the area began after the April 2022 floods, which left more than 400 people dead and damaged infrastructure and homes.

The matters were reported to the eThekwini Municipality, according to residents. In some instances, city officials came to the area, but the problems persist.

Dr Zara Seebran stated that she has lost her sense of smell and taste, and she is often ill due to toxic fumes from an overflowing manhole near her home.

“The stench is unbearable, but more than the smell, it is our environment, our families, and our pets that are getting ill with these toxic fumes. I can’t keep my windows open because it’s difficult to breathe due to the smell of the sewer and the chemicals associated with it. We are all sick at home, and even my pets sometimes faint.

“I now keep my dogs indoors because one day, when I returned from work, I found that my pets had fainted from toxic fumes. Now I have to detox my dogs every week so that they don’t fall ill or faint, and this has made life difficult for everyone at home,” Seebran said.

She stated that city officials came to the area but did not fix the sewer issue. Instead, a fence was erected to separate the stream from homes, which they say does not help.

“It took me some time to figure this thing out. We could get the smell; my dogs were sick. They had little puppies, and the little puppies got ill and passed on, which is a lot for me. My daughter is sick. As soon as she comes home, she is tired, and her eyes are burning. It is hard. And yet if I’m away from home for two days, I become more refreshed. So, I went and stayed at my sister’s place for two days just to chill out, and I became energetic and healthy. Then I came back home, two days later, I was as sick as a dog again. That’s when I realised what the problem actually was,” Seebran said.

I can’t taste my food or even sugar in my tea. I can’t smell anything, at times, even the food gets burned when I’m cooking, because I can’t smell anything, she said. 

Seebran added that she is currently looking for another property to relocate to until the sewer issues are fully resolved.

Larna Bartholemew, a Mount Vernon resident, said the gases that rise from the sewage, especially in the heat, cause burning in “our” eyes and throats.

“Sometimes you feel physically nauseated just from walking near the water. This constant exposure to raw sewage puts our health at real risk. Medical experts and environmental studies have warned that untreated wastewater carries bacteria and viruses such as E.coli, cholera, and hepatitis, which can cause serious illness in both people and animals,” Bartholemew stated.

She said that apart from the environmental destruction, this situation has a real human cost. 

“Families like ours can’t open windows or enjoy our gardens because of the constant stench. We worry about our children and pets getting sick. It’s heartbreaking to see an entire ecosystem and a community suffer because of neglect.

“Over the past two years, we’ve noticed a clear decline in wildlife. We used to see fish, crabs, frogs, and birdlife along the riverbanks. Now, the fish are gone, and the birdlife has drastically reduced. We still get the occasional waterfowl and terrapins coming to the stream, but it’s heartbreaking to watch them swimming in water that we wouldn’t even go near ourselves,” Bartholemew highlighted. 

She noted that the sewer pollution has completely disrupted the natural balance of “this” small but vital ecosystem.

“This is not just an environmental issue; it’s a human rights issue. Access to a clean, safe environment is protected in our Constitution. We need accountability, urgency, and real commitment to restoring the health of our river before more damage is done to both wildlife and the people who live here.

“We are calling on the municipality and the relevant environmental departments to take immediate, transparent action. The broken sewer infrastructure must be repaired urgently. Regular water testing, upstream and downstream, should be conducted and made public so that residents can know whether the water is safe. Environmental agencies should assess the impact on fish, birds, and aquatic life, and begin proper clean-up and rehabilitation of the river,” Bartholemew stated.

Henry Lidiard, a Mount Vernon resident who has surveyed the area alongside other community members, stated that there have been vital manholes and pipes that have washed away further downstream since the floods. 

“These will have to be attended to. Sewage is not something to be taken lightly. Cases of sickness due to E.coli have, and are, being reported. If this is allowed to continue, more severe diseases such as dysentery and cholera could appear and cause a real problem in the already strained government healthcare system,” Lidiard stated.

Despite the pipe on Rocky Road being fixed, he said, the problems persist, especially in the part of the stream near Ducasse Park and the overflowing manhole by the soccer pitch. 

“If you look at the Google street view map from the past, in 2022 and 2003, it shows that there is an inspection chamber in the river where two pipes meet. As can be seen now, there is only one pipe on the right-hand side. So, I saw what looks to me like a sewage effluent outlet in the bush there,” he said.

Lidiard highlighted that the city’s sewer infrastructure is in a bad state, and some inspection chambers are in the bushes and appear to have been forgotten about.

“The national government needs to be made more aware of the implications of this problem and assist both financially and in the form of qualified personnel, such as drainlayers and engineers of eThekwini, who are stretched to the limit. 

“Surely, within the remix of the provision of the provincial state of disaster declared in 2022, the city should be able to ask the national government for assistance with sewer infrastructure that has been destroyed. We all know that local government is unable to repair and rebuild infrastructure if there is a disaster. They don’t have the kind of money, but they can make a request for engineers from the army and relevant national and provincial departments to assist,” he said.

Lidiard, alongside other residents, has offered help to find, note, and plot all broken infrastructure in the area alongside members of the eThekwini Municipality. “With this information, we can create a schedule of items or work to be done and locations required to stop raw sewage from leaking into the river,” he said.

Samantha Windvogel, a ward 65 councillor, said she has been engaging the city continuously to resolve the sewer issue.

“The problem on Dickens Road is quite complex, and I understand the residents’ frustration due to the lengthy time. I am continuously communicating with eThekwini to have the sewer problems fixed. Some have been resolved, but others continue,” she said.

eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said the sewer pipe along Dickens Road is not broken; however, “we” are experiencing recurring blockages in the line, which are attended to as soon as they are reported. 

“The primary cause of the problem is vegetation intrusion, as the pipe runs through a bushy area where tree roots encroach on the pipeline. During the most recent clearing, the maintenance team removed several tree roots from within the pipe,” Sisilana said.

She stated that a comprehensive condition assessment of the pipeline will be undertaken soon, after which appropriate remedial action will be implemented.

On the sewer problems upstream, Sisilana said a team was dispatched to investigate, and they found a broken pipe. 

“The pipe has been repaired, and the sewage is flowing. It is true that most of the sanitation infrastructure that is situated along the rivers, streams, and in flood zones was damaged by the 2022 floods, and most of the infrastructure has been repaired, including Hillary and Mount Vernon,” Sisilana said.

For comments and tip-offs, email: gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za