Rynfield sewage crisis worsens as rising Boat Lake water submerges pump station

The sewage crisis in Rynfield's Boat Lake area continues to worsen, with rising water levels now submerging the sewer pump station and leaving it vulnerable to stormwater infiltration during heavy rains. The City of Ekurhuleni has not yet secured funding for a permanent solution, and the situation has deteriorated since last year's rainfall.

The pump station, which used to be on dry land, is now fully submerged, forcing maintenance teams to walk through the dam to reach it. City Manager Kagiso Lerutla stated that the pump station cannot be accessed without walking through the dam due to the water covering it. The municipality plans to raise and seal the remaining manholes during the 2026/27 financial year, but the measures currently in place have not fully resolved the problem, especially during heavy rainfall.

The city is exploring the installation of a pumping system to control the water level in the dam, but this solution does not yet have a confirmed budget or implementation date. The Road and Stormwater Department will determine the cost once preliminary designs are completed, and the long-term project will have to be included in the municipality's Integrated Development Plan and receive budget allocation.

The DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane criticized the provincial government for failing to intervene in the crisis, which has persisted for over a decade, and questioned the lack of a confirmed budget and implementation date. She urged the province and the City of Ekurhuleni to take action, emphasizing that residents could not endure another decade of delays and unfunded plans.