A major sewer upgrade is taking shape in Wellway Park, Durbanville, where 3.7km of ageing sewer mains are being replaced as part of an R11.4 million City of Cape Town project.
The work is expected to be completed by April 2027 and is aimed at renewing the neighbourhood’s sewer infrastructure before the existing pipes deteriorate further.
3.7km of sewer mains being replaced
The project covers sections of Hibiscus, Bethen, Eike, Mimosa, Coral, Denne, Bauhinia, Sipres, Boland and Blueberry Lane.
The 160mm-diameter sewer mains being replaced are more than 40 years old. Rather than waiting for the infrastructure to fail, the City is carrying out the work proactively through its pipe replacement programme.
The programme aims to rehabilitate or replace up to 100km of sewer infrastructure across Cape Town each year.
Less excavation during the replacement work
One of the notable aspects of the Wellway Park project is the method being used to replace the ageing pipes.
Contractors are using pipe cracking, a semi-trenchless technique that allows new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes to be installed while reducing the amount of excavation required compared with conventional replacement.
The process includes temporarily diverting sewer flows, creating launching and receiving pits, connecting properties to the new sewer line and installing and welding the HDPE pipes.
Once sections have been installed, CCTV inspections and final testing are carried out.
The replacement of the older vitrified clay pipes with HDPE is intended to give the sewer network more durable infrastructure.
The City is taking a proactive approach
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Alderman Zahid Badroodien said the project reflects the City’s approach of renewing infrastructure before failures become a bigger problem for communities.
The Wellway Park work forms part of a wider effort to strengthen Cape Town’s water and sanitation infrastructure while continuing to maintain services as the city grows.
For residents, the project also highlights the role households can play in keeping the sewer network functioning properly.
The City advises residents not to flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper. Sewer blockages and overflows should also be reported through the City’s official reporting channels.
Residents are further encouraged to use the City’s solid waste services for waste disposal, report vandalism or missing sewer manhole covers, and make use of drop-off facilities for recyclables.
With the Wellway Park project scheduled to continue until April 2027, the focus is on replacing the ageing infrastructure before it reaches the point of failure.
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Picture: City of Cape Town
