Sewer Pipe Makeover for Elsies

The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is in its final stages of rehabilitating 2km of sewer pipes along Epping Avenue in Elsies River. This is part of the proactive pipe replacement programme, which will see up to 100km of sewer pipes replaced or rehabilitated across the city.

As part of the Mayoral Priority Programme (MPP), the City has committed R523 million towards infrastructure maintenance and pipeline replacements for the 2024/25 financial year. This investment forms part of a broader strategy to reduce sewer spills and enhance sanitation services for Cape Town residents. The City’s goal is to rehabilitate or replace approximately 1% of its total sewer network annually.

The rehabilitation project in Elsies River commenced on 8 January 2025 and is expected to be completed by the end of June 2025. The work includes the rehabilitation of up to 2km of vitrified clay sewer pipes.

This upgrade was prioritised following repeated sewer overflows and pipe collapses in the area, caused by ageing infrastructure (particularly 45-year-old fibre cement pipes) and the misuse of the sewer system. Residents have also been disposing of inappropriate items such as rags, newspapers, plastics and building rubble into toilets and drains, leading to frequent blockages and infrastructure damage.

To limit disruptions and speed up the process, the City is using a trenchless rehabilitation method known as cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining. This involves inserting a resin-coated textile tube into the existing pipe, which then hardens to form a seamless, joint-less lining. CIPP is one of the most commonly used trenchless methods for sewer rehabilitation worldwide.
Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien and Ward Councillor for Ward 26, Franchesca Walker, joined the project team on site to see the progress of the work. Significant progress has been made on the project despite some challenges, including a spike in smash-and-grab incidents in Epping Avenue, as a result of traffic disruptions arising from the project. The City held a community meeting to address the matter and social services is becoming more involved in engaging the parents of younger perpetrators.

‘A significant section of Elsies River’s sewer pipes are going to be relined as part of this complex sewer rehabilitation project, which is scheduled to be concluded in the next few weeks. The City is doing its part in upgrading the sewer pipes, however blockages and overflows will persist as long as foreign objects such as nappies, rags and other foreign objects are flushed down the toilet. These items should not be flushed or put into our drains.

‘Let’s bin household and industrial waste and not block our sewer lines. By working together, we can sustain the improvements made to increase the longevity of sewer infrastructure,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Residents can help reduce sewer overflows:

• Don’t flush anything other than pee, poo and toilet paper. Anything else including flushable wet wipes, will block the pipes. For more tips, see www.capetown.gov.za/blocked-sewers .
• Use the City’s solid waste services provided to get rid of your waste, not drains and toilets.
• Report sewer blockages and overflows using one of the City’s official channels so they can be cleared in a reasonable timeframe.
• Report vandalism of the sewer system and stolen or missing sewer manhole covers.
• Use the City’s drop-off facilities to get rid of recyclables. See https://bit.ly/3mhagVh