06 Aug 2024

Sewerage pipes go through people’s plots along the setbacks of the plot by design to facilitate ease of sewer connections to the plots, Honourable Minister of Lands and Water Affairs, Dr Kefentse Mzwinila, has said.

Dr Mzwinila said in response to questions in Parliament on Monday.

He said provision of setbacks was made on individual plots layouts through Building Control Codes to provide servitude for utilities with a space that measured 1.5 metres on the sides and five metres at the back.

“However, there are instances whereby people are allocated plots or granted plot extensions over sewage network infrastructure, which is no longer the case due to improved data management by landboard and stakeholder departments,” he said.

Minister added that service lines which were laid within setback were termed compliant therefore did not attract either rental or compensation.

“If the design of infrastructure encroaches beyond the setback provision the land is acquired or expropriated to create a servitude for the pipeline,” he explained.

He also indicated that the Department of Lands or land boards carried out assessment and valuation of the piece of land to be acquired for the infrastructure leading to compensation.

Also, he said Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) had a customer process to deal with requests for relocation of sewer lines.

Furthermore, he said assessments were done through property visits noting that relocation of sewer lines was not a favourable option in most cases since construction of infrastructural works followed engineering protocols which were often dictated by hydraulic analysis with a view to aid self-cleansing velocity.

He further said the decision on whether the affected home owner was to be relocated or not was dependent on the outcome of the assessment by the land authority.

“In most cases sewer lines are laid below the ground level and within the setbacks and therefore do not pose any trouble to the liberty of plot owners. Sewerage pipelines sometimes get blocked and sewage spilled into the environment and people’s yards, making homes inhabitable therefore customers are encouraged to always report them on time,” he said.

He explained that it was the nature of the sewerage scheme that its operation was dependent on the users’ attitude and conduct towards utilisation.

“If beneficiaries flush and deposit substances that can cause blockages inside the sewer pipes and subsequently disrupt the flow to the appropriate wastewater treatment facility,” he said.

He added that if the operation and maintenance of the scheme was taken care of there was no threat of sewers pipes laid on the designated space.

Minister said the ministry through WUC manned the schemes to the level that eminent mishaps that may cause nuisance were minimised, adding if blockages occurred and caused spillage they were then cleared and disinfected accordingly in order to avoid exposing inhabitants to such hazardous environment.

Mahalapye West MP, Mr David Tshere had asked the minister to explain circumstances under which sewerage water pipelines went through people’s yards and whether rental was paid in cases where sewerage pipelines went through the yard.

Mr Tshere wanted to know if it was possible to relocate the sewerage pipelines out of the yards upon request and if it was possible to relocate the home owner to another suitable location and compensate upon request.

He also wanted to know whether the minister was aware that most of the sewerage pipelines normally got blocked and sewerage spilled into people’s yards making homes inhabitable. ENDS