The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has taken steps against the Matlosana municipality after three wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) within its jurisdication were found to have been in contravention of the Water Services Act.

The municipality admitted in November last year that it had routinely dumped untreated sewage into the Vaal river, owing to the Klerksdorp WWTW being out of commission.

Inspections to the municipality’s Orkney and Stilfontein WWTW shortly thereafter revealed further noncompliance.

Noncompliance letters for all three treatment plants were issued to the municipality by the DWS on January 8, requesting the submission of a completed action plan with achievable timeframes and budgets to the department by January 15.

A follow-up meeting with the municipality was then held on February 25, after which it submitted the required action plan on March 4.

Outlining action that had been taken, the Matlosana municipality noted that it had appointed a service provider on February 27 to begin repairs to “severely affected” mechanical and electrical components of the Stilfontein treatment plant on March 2. Repair work was expected to take 90 days.

Repair work to mechanical and electrical components of the Orkney and Klerksdorp WWTWs had been completed internally, where possible, while an external service provider was finalising an assessment report of the plant.

The council had also completed internal repair work to the Western outfall sewage pump station, which had rendered two of the four pumps operational. The remaining two pumps were currently being repaired, the report read.

“No statement will be issued at this point as work is still in progress and the municipality is very cooperative in resolving the problems,” Water and Sanitation Minister Edna Molewa outlined in a written Parliamentary reply this week.