Smelly drain water haunts Gaborone residents

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday March 26, 2015 17:42

 

The councillor said the people are not happy about the water and he understands their fury. “I would also not be happy to be living in their situation. We don’t know where some of the water comes from and I have tried to consult Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) about that water but they said it was not their responsibility,” he said.

His attempts to seek solutions at the Gaborone City Council (GCC) has proved futile. The council denies responsibility. Motlaleng said he has information that the Chinese who were hired to reconstruct Old Naledi caused the illegal flow. He said he learnt that there was something wrong with some drains in his ward.

Motlaleng indicated that even though the council told him that there was nothing it could do as it had handed wastewater drainage services to WUC he would not give up in seeking solutions. He said Tshwaragano Primary School has been troubled by the water that flows through its compound. He said teachers have threatened to close the school.

A resident, Batsile Kompo said the foul water comes from the drain by the railway a few kilometers from the school. “We can barely breathe or eat when the situation has gone out of hand. When the situation is worse, we have nowhere to run as the smell gets in our houses. I am even afraid that one day, the whole community will fall sick due to this smell and mosquito bites,” he said.

His father, Lepota said that he had tried to call the authorities to help them deal with the problem but his efforts have been futile. He said when the situation deteriorates, the water floods their houses. “We no longer know what to do. This water has been terrorising us for years. If it was death, we could all have been dead by now. I believe that it is by the will of God that we are not sick. If not the sickness has hidden in our body,” the old man said sadly.

He said there was a drain not far from his house that seems to block regularly. He said when the drain blocks, it bursts and water flows down their street. He said things got worse after the tar road was constructed in the ward. “I suspect that some of the smelly water flowing in the trench is from the nearby companies in Gaborone West Industrial. I hope we will get help as soon as possible as our children’s health is in jeopardy,” he added.

Galaletsang Gojammu whose yard is less than half a metre from the trench said they are looking up to God for help as everything else has failed. She said the dirty water poses a threat to their health and may attract snakes and other dangerous creatures to their homes. She said the creatures that always roam in their yards seeking warmth from the sun had on many occasions nearly bitten her children.