City tackles bucket system

MMM has started installing waterborne toilets in some sections of Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM) will spend over R1-billion to install waterborne toilets and upgrade waste water treatment plants in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo.

The move is aimed at removing all the bucket and latrine toilets in the two towns.

Currently there are 29 502 VIP toilets; 15 275 pit latrines and 1 135 bucket toilets that need to be eradicated in Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu. More than 44 777 of VIP and latrine toilets were built in areas not acceptable according to environmental standards. To upgrade these two areas the municipality will need R1.52-billion.
The municipality has started installing waterborne toilets in some sections of the two towns.

The estimated cost to remove VIP toilets alone in 32 164 sites in Botshabelo is close to a R1-billion. In Thaba Nchu, there are 13 748 sites which will cost more than R452-million.

“There are currently three contractors that were appointed in December 2012 to install waterborne toilets in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo. The overall progress is at 10 percent of the construction,” said MMM city manager, Sibongile Mazibuko.

Ratau and Moroka locations in Thaba Nchu are amongst the priority areas, where 130 flushing toilets will be installed. In Bultfontein, there are 230 sites that will be upgraded and also 295 sites in Section F of Botshabelo.

To achieve this, the municipality will have to also upgrade the bulk water supply. The estimated cost for the infrastructure to be used in improving or refurbishing water treatment plants amount to R104-million for both Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo.

The Thaba Nchu waste water treatment works situated in Selosesha has a capacity of 6.5 millilitres (ml), with a current demand of additional 4.5 ML a day. The plant caters for 3 487 residential areas.

“The current Botshabelo waste water treatment works is a 20 ml a day unit with a current demand of additional 11 ml a day. The current spare capacity of the plant can only accommodate approximately 15 652 additional stands,” explained Mazibuko.

Botshabelo residents who are already using their flushing toilets have expressed their delight and gratitude to the municipality’s plans. Madikeledi Mokoena, from Section F, is happy that she now utilises a water-borne toilet.
“We have been living this section for years and the stench was now unbearable. We were not comfortable using the VIP toilets especially during the rainy season.

“They are not durable because they sink. Another sad reality is that people throw all sort of things in the pit. Girls throw their unwanted babies in these toilets which makes it even more dangerous to society,” Mokoena said.
However, residents in Section K await their turn and hope they will also own water-borne toilets.

“Section F is just a kilometres away, is a neighbouring section. Why the municipality would install decent toilets across the street and abandoned us. We hope to see it here in Botshabelo. We will wait and hope they will include us too,” said Papiki Mekgoe.