The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate exceeded its 2023/24 financial year target by upgrading 38 sewer pump stations—eight more than planned—through an investment of nearly R53 million aimed at enhancing security measures, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The City emphasises that completing these security upgrades is a key milestone in protecting essential infrastructure from vandalism and theft.
Previous incidents at pump stations have caused significant operational disruptions, including the June 2022 vandalism of the Northshore sewer pump station in Hout Bay, which damaged cables and electrical systems, leading to sewer overflows that affected nearby marine environments.
In May 2022, arsonists torched the Wallacedene sewer pump station, causing flooding and disruptions throughout the area.
Additionally, vandalism at the Site B sewer pump station in Khayelitsha in August 2021 left 8 000 households without proper sewage services, necessitating R6 million for repairs.
The implemented security upgrades include high perimeter fencing, steel doors, burglar bars, and security guardhouses, with tailored solutions based on individual assessments of each pump station.
These retrofitted facilities are located in various areas across the city, including Dunoon, Wallacedene, Koeberg, Goodwood, Wesbank, Belhar, Mfuleni, Crossroads, Faure, Elsies River, Rugby, Diep River, Kuyasa, and others.
‘Sewer pump stations have a critical role in conveying sewage from our properties to wastewater treatment facilities,’ says Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien.
‘Controlling access and tightening up security measures ensures that they function optimally, reducing sewer overflows, which result from incidents where pump station infrastructure is tampered with.’
‘We are focussed on securing these sites because unfortunately, our pump stations are targets for vandals and thieves. Residents can also help by being our eyes and ears, reporting any information about criminal incidents or attempts when they occur, so that it can be investigated.’
‘In addition to the upgrade project, other enhancements to security systems were done, such as installing CCTV cameras at seven pump stations and encasing inverters in steel cages at eight locations,’ added Badroodien.
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Picture: Zahid Badroodien / Facebook
