Staff Reporter
Some cattle in an eastern Free State town have reportedly died after being exposed to raw sewage from a vandalised treatment plant.
The exact number of the affected cattle in Lindley is unknown but the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the province has urged residents to desist from destroying essential infrastructure as it is criminal and could endanger both livestock and human life.
DWS provincial head Dr Tseliso Ntili warned that such acts posed the danger of polluting water sources and could disrupt service delivery.
“One act of this vandalism affects not only the local community but it also affects communities downstream, particularly the farmers,” said Ntili in a statement.
The Lindley Wastewater Treatment Plant was destroyed by angry residents protesting over the poor state of the facility.
It had not worked for a while due to lack of maintenance by the Nketoana Local Municipality.
The acts of vandalism resulted in raw sewage being discharged into the Vals River which also supplies parts of Kroonstad and neighbouring farms.
This resulted in some cattle reportedly dying after being exposed to the toxic waste.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation is mandated to ensure that there is a supply of quality water to communities, but the communities should also play a role to protect these structures that provide them with water and decent sanitation,” said the DWS provincial head.
The Lindley sewage treatment plant was refurbished by the DWS but it is believed to have broken down due to lack of maintenance.
The situation, according to the DWS, gave an opportunity to criminals to vandalise the infrastructure and sell some parts of the plant to nearby scrap yards.
“It is the responsibility of the municipality to maintain the WWTP (waste water treatment plant) and this includes replacing faulty pumps and electrical components. It is unfortunate that most municipalities fail to budget for maintenance and repairs of WWTPs),” said Ntili.
The DWS said as part of its enforcement efforts this month, it will be taking action against municipalities that cause pollution to the country’s water sources.
“As part of the enforcement activities, the Department’s Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit issues notices of intention to impose directives to non-complying water services authorities tasked to provide water and sanitation services to communities.”
The DWS says it can also open criminal cases against municipalities breaking the law and obtain a court order compelling them to take remedial steps to stop pollution and rehabilitate the affected areas.