Ongwediva sewage overflows into nearby villages

ONGWEDIVA, 22 AUG  – The Ongwediva Town Council has confirmed an overflow of sewage water from its oxidation ponds into the nearby Oshana downstream.
The council’s spokesperson, Jackson Muma told Nampa in an interview on Monday the ponds were repaired on Saturday, but sewage started flowing from it on Sunday.
He attributed the overflow to the town’s fast growth in residents and businesses.
“The council would like to inform the residents in the vicinity of the oxidation ponds that we are experiencing an unfortunate situation and would like to strictly urge the public not to catch or consume fish coming with sewage water because it is a health risk,” Muma noted, adding that contact with sewage water must be avoided at all costs.
He pointed out that the overflow comes at a time when the council is busy trying to find permanent solutions to this persistent problem.
Muma went on to say that the council and the community jointly came up with interventions such as finding feasible ways to treat the water from the ponds and reusing it for farming activities.
The spokesperson further indicated that a cost analysis for erecting culverts in case of unforeseen overflows in future is another possible intervention by the council to address the situation.
He also stated that plans are envisaged to compensate owners of the traditional homesteads in the downstream and relocate them permanently.
Muma said the overflow started during the 2015/16 financial year when the council constructed an additional pond and cleaned the others to the cost of some N$ 7 million that year.
He could not say how many ponds there are as some of the ponds have been merged.
The areas most affected are Oshinyadhila, Elyambala, Efidi and the National Housing Enterprise houses.
Villagers this news agency spoke to Tuesday said the construction of more ponds and proper rehabilitation of existing infrastructure could be the solution to the problem.
“This sewer water smells bad and is a health hazard,” said one of the villagers, Johannes Lucas. – NAMPA