UPDATE ON MONTAGU SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Langeberg Municipality wishes to clarify the recent issues concerning sewer pump station failures and pipeline breakages in Montagu, while also providing feedback following the open public meeting held with residents at the Montagu Council Chambers on 07 May 2026. The meeting followed ongoing community concerns regarding sewer spillages into the Kingna River flowing through Montagu, resulting in river pollution, odours, environmental damage, health concerns and impacts on tourism.

The Municipality values the participation and constructive feedback received from the community and regards the matter with the utmost seriousness and concern.

During the meeting, the Director of Engineering Services, Mr Deon Louwrens, presented the current sewerage network infrastructure and explained the operation of the sewer system, maintenance processes and ongoing infrastructure challenges. Residents were informed that Montagu’s ageing sewer infrastructure, particularly Sewer Pump Station 1 and the rising main pipeline carrying wastewater to the Wastewater Treatment Works, has reached a stage where frequent maintenance is necessary and major upgrades and replacement are essential.

The Municipality explained that Montagu’s sewer network consists of four pump stations and that each sewer spill incident had different causes.

A previous incident on 20 December 2025 occurred when both the main and standby pumps failed simultaneously, resulting in sewer spillages. Emergency repairs were undertaken and most flow was effectively managed through sewer tankers. Following this incident, a third backup pump was installed to reduce the risk of future occurrences.

Another incident on 16 July 2025 involved the failure of one pump, while the standby pump remained operational, preventing any sewer spillage.

Since July 2025, four significant pipeline breakages have occurred, with the latest incident taking place in April 2026. These incidents were not caused by pump malfunction, but rather by the deteriorating condition of the ageing pipeline infrastructure.

Currently, the pump station has a design capacity of approximately 70 litres per second, while average inflows generally range between 50 and 60 litres per second under normal conditions. Although the facility can manage normal flows, the outdated design and limited sump capacity hinder its ability to handle sudden increases in flow during heavy rainfall events. This places additional pressure on the system and increases the risk of failures and sewer spillages. The growing population, informal settlements and new developments continue to place further strain on the ageing infrastructure network.

The Municipality also confirmed that blockages caused by illegal dumping of waste, oils, cans and other unsuitable materials into the sewer system contribute significantly to overflows and infrastructure breakdowns. Residents were encouraged to avoid disposing of non-flushable materials into the sewer network. Measures are currently being investigated to reduce waste entering the system, including the installation of grids at identified informal settlement connection points.

Community concerns raised during the meeting included ongoing odours, environmental impacts on the Kingna River, invasive vegetation growth and long-standing maintenance challenges. Residents also highlighted concerns regarding the impact on tourism and the local economy. The Municipality clarified that maintenance of river sections on private property remains the responsibility of landowners, while the Municipality maintains river sections located on municipal property.

The Municipality further explained that before infrastructure upgrades can proceed, a detailed design process by an appointed professional service provider must first be completed. Funding for the design phase has been proposed in the 2026/2027 financial year budget. Once completed, grant funding applications will be submitted to secure funding for implementation of the proposed infrastructure upgrades. Proposed upgrades include increasing sump capacity and raising pump infrastructure above flood lines to reduce flood-related risks.

The meeting also addressed plans for improved preventative maintenance, stricter enforcement regarding the disposal of oils and waste by businesses, budget allocations towards the Infrastructure Maste Plan and long-term solutions aimed at preventing future sewer spillages. Residents were encouraged to continue reporting sewer incidents through the municipal WhatsApp call centre and to obtain reference numbers for follow-up and response.

The Municipality thanked residents for their constructive engagement and confirmed that a follow-up public meeting may be held after approval of the municipal budget to provide further feedback regarding available funding, maintenance planning and proposed infrastructure improvements.

Langeberg Municipality remains committed to service delivery and to addressing these infrastructure challenges through planning, maintenance and continued community engagement.

Issued by:
Mr D. P. Lubbe
Municipal Manager