Stormwater infrastructure abuse increases flood risks, engineering body warns

AS DURBAN braces for the rainy season, eThekwini Municipality says “hot spot areas have been identified for higher level maintenance to the stormwater systems’, while engineers warn that abuse of drainage infrastructure is worsening the risk of flooding across South Africa.

- SIPHESIHLE BUTHELEZI

The Institute for Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) cautioned that while climate change and ageing infrastructure are often blamed, illegal dumping into stormwater drains and the removal of manhole covers are becoming a serious threat.

“When these foreign objects block the pipes, rainwater has nowhere to go.

As a result of this abuse, streets can turn into rivers. Homes get flooded. Infrastructure collapses. And the damage can cost billions to repair,’ IMESA said.

Recent floods in the Western Cape highlighted the damage that heavy storms can inflict on roads, schools, and essential services. With most of the country’s summer rainfall regions now expecting severe downpours, IMESA stressed that blocked stormwater systems are a national concern.