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Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Plant Work Progressing Well

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The repairs to the mechanical and electrical equipment and machinery at the Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Plant are progressing well.

This rehabilitation work was necessitated by the severe damage that were caused by the theft and vandalism of infrastructure that has taken place at the plant over the past few years.

Due to these incidents of vandalism and theft, the plant suffered the theft of electrical cables that supplies energy to the equipment, and damage to plant and machinery employed in the wastewater treatment processes within the plant.

The damage to the motor control centres (MCC) due to vandalism resulted in the power supply to equipment and machinery being cut off. The extent of damage to multiple MCCs and their associated cabling necessitated a total replacement of these MCCs as they could not be repaired.

The Fishwater Flats WWTW treats approximately 64% of the NMBM’s wastewater.

The damage led to a compromised wastewater treatment process, which led to the plant discharging effluent that does not meet the required standards into the Brighton Beach discharge point.

As a proactive safety measure, the Metro decided to close Brighton Beach for the whole summer season.

Since June last year, the Infrastructure and Engineering Directorate has carried out various interventions.

Of critical importance, repair work to the multi-media filtration MCC has been done. This will power the production plant for the reclaimed water supply to businesses and chlorination plant for final effluent disinfection.

The following repairs have also been made:

  • Improved the security by hiring private security guards as from 6 March 2023. The current cost for these guards is R3 864 787.92 per annum.
  • Repairs and/or replacement of more than five electric switchgears.
  • Improved the security lighting (high masts, etc.) to the whole plant.
  • Reinstatement of aeration lanes to be 70% operational.
  • Ten (10) motors have been repaired.
  • Repairs to nine (9) out of 19 mini sub-stations.

R15 million has already been spent on the rehabilitation of infrastructure. Based on the progress made and the anticipated work, the current final effluent cumulative compliance of 38,89% will be increased to 70%.

It remains our responsibility and commitment to urgently complete all repairs to the Fish water treatment works by end of June 2025. We shall also be closely improving, and monitoring the quality of affluent discharged to New Brighton beach. The safety of our residents and marine life remains a priority, hence the New Brighton beach remains closed until satisfactory low levels of E.coli are achieved. – MMC, infrastructure and Engineering and Infrastructure, Cllr Buyelwa Mafaya.

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NMB Communications

Media Communications at Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Communications Department is responsible for communicating pertinent Municipal news from Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch. Municipality Contact Details. See more articles by NMB Communication's.