Durban ratepayers and civic organisations are eager to learn more about research into the implementation of a non-sewage sanitation system by eThekwini Municipality.
The City’s Water and Sanitation Unit Acting Strategic Executive, Lungi Zuma, said on Wednesday that new innovations were meant to make systems climate-resilient and economically and environmentally sustainable.
Zuma said the unit was co-ordinating research, innovation and partnership both locally and internationally in demonstrating technology for the use of communal ablution blocks for informal settlements.
“We look at how we can use applied research technologies and all the work that is happening in the world around water and sanitation. We work with our universities, and they can help with innovation in water purification,” Zuma said.
The country and eThekwini had many issues around rapid migration into the city and climate change, she said.
“This project involves the demonstration of non-sewage sanitation technologies. These will help when we have the next drought or floods so that we are always prepared.
“These treat waste water generated at a local level. It is expensive to install long sewer lines, therefore, these technologies will help us save water,” Zuma said.
She said that they expected the system to be up and running before the end of next year, but then expected community feedback so that they could gauge the success of the programme.
“We hope to use these new technologies in rural areas where the communities never had sewer systems,” Zuma said.
Our aim is to improve sanitation so that people are able to use systems that are healthy and in a dignified manner.”
Abahlali baseMjondolo leader Thandeka Thusini said the people who lived in informal settlements had been struggling for years to get access to basic services such as sanitation.
Informal settlement resident, Thusini said, deserved to have their dignity respected, like any other resident of eThekwini.
“We welcome anything that will make the lives of people decent, and dignified. “If this system is well implemented, and affordable, we welcome it,” Thusini said.
The Westville Ratepayers’ Association’s Asad Gaffar said that it was high time that eThekwini provided all of its residents with decent sanitation.
He said everyone deserved to be afforded dignity and that building better sanitation facilities would go a long way to making them feel that the city respected them.
The Phoenix Civic Movement’s Vivian Pillay said that this mooted system had to be rolled out in all communities that did not have proper sanitation.
Pillay added that the city had enough resources to give its all residents proper services such as water and sanitation.
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