The City of Cape Town recently completed upgrades to the Koeberg Road and Langa sewer pump stations to protect the infrastructure from damage and reduce the risk of sewer overflows. The upgrades cost R2.36 million between both pump stations.
New Filtration Screens
The upgrades included the installation of new filtration screens designed to collect large materials and remove them to protect the pumping equipment from premature failure. The screens are necessary to protect the pumping equipment and the surrounding environment.
Necessity of Upgrades
The environment and sewerage system have become more frequently used as dumping areas, and rubbish and foreign material can find their way into the sewer due to acts of vandalism and abuse as well as illegal stormwater-to-sewer connections. The screens are, therefore a necessity to prevent these problematic items from entering the system and protect the pumping equipment.
Progress on Installation
The City of Cape Town officials and the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, visited the Langa Main Pump Station to see the progress on installing the new filtration screens at the facility. Koeberg Road Pump Station was fitted with these upgrades last year, with promising results already.
Cost Reduction
The upgrades will reduce the breakdowns of the pumps, which in turn will reduce the cost of repairing these pumps, said Councillor Badroodien. City teams manually operate the screens as a temporary solution until fully automated screens can be installed as part of planned upgrades.
Importance of Upgrades
Langa Main Pump Station is the largest in Cape Town and services many residents from various areas. Langa Minor still needs to be fitted with a screen. When the pump stations do not operate optimally and do not pump correctly, it causes a surcharge in the sewer lines, leading to overflows from utility holes and outflows into residential areas and other environmentally sensitive areas, posing health risks.
Resilient Wastewater Systems
The upgrades are a measure the City has taken to create resilient wastewater systems that will continue to serve its residents in the future. While the screens have been installed, residents also have a part to play in helping prevent sewer overflows by not dumping waste illegally, be it on land or via the sewer network. The upgrades will improve the lives of residents and protect the environment, which is crucial for the continued growth and development of the City of Cape Town.
