According to a statement released by the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Van Soelen Outfall Sewer Pipeline is making good progress and it will soon be up and running. Members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) visited the outfall sewer line on Wednesday 19 September and some of the members raised concerns about the restaurants dispersing fats as well as the abattoir releasing blood into the system.

The municipality was able to alleviate the fears of members of the NCOP by explaining that measures such as grease traps have been put in place at restaurants and abattoirs to prohibit this. The municipality will also monitor these institutions for compliance, the Setsoto Municipality affirmed to NCOP members.

The project, with an estimated cost of R39 million, is implemented in two phases with the first phase already completed in November 2018. Phase two, which is currently under construction and due to be completed in November of 2019, is currently sitting at 85% completion.

The old sewer is still causing a lot of spillages due to reaching its design capacity. The municipality is, however, mitigating this by channelling the sewer away from communities. The old sewer system will be decommissioned as soon as the Van Soelen pipeline is completed in November this year.

OFM News/Marvin Ntsane