The eThekwini Municipality has unveiled plans to connect more than 2000 homes to its sewerage reticulation network in the hope of doing away with pit latrines and septic tanks in some communities.
In a statement on Monday, the City's head of communications, Lindiwe Khuzwayo, said residents in Ntuzuma, Inanda and Kloof will be issued with letters to explain the process and how their homes will be connected to the sewer network.
Khuzwayo said the project was a ‘giant leap’ towards the completion of a massive sewer reticulation project across several wards.
"This is going to drastically improve the quality of life of residents and minimise pollution of ground water resources.
“The sewer reticulation project is spearheaded by the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit. The unit implemented the project in Ntuzuma B, C, E, Inanda Glebe, Inanda B and Kloof Msengane Road," she said.
EThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the projects had been ongoing since 2021 in various communities to reduce the number of pit latrines and septic tanks by providing formal sanitation services.
"The biggest challenge with septic tanks is that households don’t maintain them, and sewage often ends up impacting the environment.
The City was also at an advanced stage of exploring other “environmentally friendly innovative sanitation technologies," he said.
The municipality is in the throes of an ongoing sewage crisis with opposition parties taking swipes at the leadership for failing to tackle the problem.
IOL