Residents in Table View and surrounding areas have reported an unbearable, unpleasant, stench in the air since the start of the new year and they are at their wits ends because of it. Some are unable to open their windows as there are more flies than usual as a result of the smell. The City says the water treatment plant is to blame and there is not much they can do to resolve the issue.
There’s the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Plant on Koeberg Road near Killarney. The sludge ponds are malfunctioning, there’s been a tender out to repair them which has now been delayed by 6months. Saying it smells like poo is not enough. Kunuka ubuthuvi!!! ??????
— Tolokazi (@Six_Gantsho2) January 13, 2021
Over the course of the past week, the extreme hot weather has strengthened the the stench in the following areas:
– Table View
– Flamingo Vlei
– Parklands
– Milnerton
– Postdam
#PotsdamWWTW is storing sludge on-site instead of dumping it into the Diepriver untreated. No use lodging a C3 – it’s going to be like this until resolved. And so far the tender has not even been awarded yet. Speak to Clr Nicky Rheeder from sub council 3 – she can explain https://t.co/u5h9826s0v
— Peter Walsh (@PeteWalsh_ZAR) January 12, 2021
It’s unbelievable how these so called “city planners” develop,develop,develop,without thinking of waste water facilities.Potsdam road is already working over their initial planning,raw sewage flows into the ocean at Milnerton Lagoon,stench is all over greater Table View?? https://t.co/kaVcdsIZPM
— DasCoachingPowerhouse ???? (@Time2Coach) January 13, 2021
Speaking to The South African, Mayco Member for Water and Waste Services for the City of Cape Town Xanthea Limberg, said that a stockpile of sludge at a water treatment plant is to blame for the foul smell. The City has been covering and applying an odour suppressant to the build-up to minimise the stench as far as possible, but there is currently no long-term solution as there have been “issues” with tender contracts.