The City’s Water Pollution Control (WPC) team is intensifying efforts to address illegal connections and discharges into the stormwater system in Witsand, Atlantis.

Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, participated in the inspection alongside the team.

From March 2023 to February 2024, the department’s WPC team conducted inspections on 12,580 properties. These inspections resulted in 159 contravention notices and the disconnection of 40 illegal connections.

The majority of the contravention notices and illegal disconnections occurred in areas such as Masiphumelele, Wallacedene, Imizamo Yethu, Bloekombos, Dunoon, and Joe Slovo.

“The WPC team consistently conducts proactive compliance inspections across Cape Town and collaborates with stakeholders on blitz operations. Initiatives, like the Disconnections Programme, aim to ensure compliance and enhance inland water quality.”

Additionally, the City also responds to community requests for inspections. Recently, WPC and Councillor Zahid Badroodien inspected Witsand following complaints of greywater flushing into stormwater drains, a violation of environmental by-laws affecting downstream properties.

The investigations uncovered that this issue was widespread in Witsand, which needs urgent action.

How the inspection and disconnection process works

• A house-to-house physical inspection is done to check for compliance with the City’s Stormwater Management By-law.
• In cases where transgressions are observed, the home owner/tenant is informed on the impact of the illegal discharges on public health and the environment.
• The property owner is then issued with a contravention notice according to the by-law. This stipulates the timeframe in which the contravention must be rectified.
• Properties that comply with the notices and remove the illegal connections are noted as complying with the relevant legislation.
• Properties where contraventions are ongoing after a follow-up inspection are disconnected. This is done in collaboration with the City’s Roads Infrastructure Management (RIMS) Unit and supported by Law Enforcement.

During these inspections, the main sources of pollution into stormwater channels were identified to be from:

• Illegal connections from hairdresser’s washing basins;
• Wastewater from washing machines;
• Direct discharge from the toilets; and
• Illegal dumping of solid waste

The WPC team are planning to inspect more areas in their mission to curb these illegal connections. These areas include Nomzamo, Lwandle, Asanda Village, Hangberg, and Fisantekraal in the coming weeks.

“I call on residents to co-operate with the City’s water pollution inspectors who will be conducting similar inspections city-wide in the coming months to help address and enforce the correction of illegal connections and discharges to the stormwater system” Cllr Badroodien.