Tableview stink due to wastewater sludge build-up as no tender in place yet

City of Cape Town says it is covering, liming and applying odour suppressant to the sludge stockpile on a daily basis at Potsdam.

The CapeTalk Breakfast Show has been receiving complaints about a very foul smell blowing over the suburbs of Tableview and Parklands, emanating from the Potsdam sewage treatment facility.

Residents are saying that they cannot open their windows at all and that there are more flies around as well.

Our own Zain Johnson lives in that area and contacted his local councillors about the situation.

It turns out that it is due to a build-up of sludge which hasn't been removed, due to the previous contract coming to an end, and the recent tender being appealed - which means that no one has been contracted to remove it.

The source of the odour relates to the stockpiling of sludge at our Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco Member Water and Waste Services - City Of Cape Town

Since 1 January neither waste activated sludge or primary sludge cake are being removed from any of our wastewater treatment plants due to appeals.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco Member Water and Waste Services - City Of Cape Town

The new sludge tender was initially awarded in March for the first time, but this tender was appealed she explains.

The appeal was upheld and the award was revoked.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco Member Water and Waste Services - City Of Cape Town

During a second attempt to award the appeal one of the recommended parties withdraws from the tender and so it moved to a third-round which has seen further appeals by parties appealing the procurement decision, she elaborates.

These appeals have happened on three occasions so it has been a long procurement process and it is for this reason that we haven't been able to get the new sludge tender in place.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco Member Water and Waste Services - City Of Cape Town

The City is exploring alternative emergency procurement options with the fast-tracking of the current appeal process being a priority, says Limberg.

In the interim on-site, we have been covering, liming and applying odour suppressant to the stockpile. This is happening on a daily basis at Potsdam.

Xanthea Limberg, Mayco Member Water and Waste Services - City Of Cape Town

Additional odour suppressing dosing is being applied on the perimeters at Potsdam as well, she adds.

Listen to the interview below: