City of Cape Town triples sewer jet-cleaning efforts to R207,9 million, so as to reduce winter overflows
A record 625,5 km of sewer pipelines have been proactively jet-cleaned as part of winter readiness, exceeding the City’s annual target by more than threefold.
Valued at R207,9 million, this investment in preventative maintenance helps reduce the risk of sewer blockages and overflows caused by foreign objects, illegal stormwater connections and increased rain entering the network.
Throughout the year, operational teams carry out an extensive maintenance programme to ensure that pipelines, pump stations and other sewer infrastructure are in the best possible condition. Preventative cleaning is especially prioritised before winter, when rain is likely to enter the network, as this has proven to be one of the City’s most effective measures to reduce sewer spills before they occur.
On Thursday, 25 June 2026, the City’s mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, joined maintenance teams in action during routine sewer jet-cleaning in Kraaifontein.
The City manages a vast wastewater network comprising approximately 10 000 km of sewer pipelines, 487 sewer pump stations, sand traps and other critical infrastructure. To keep the system in flow requires frequent inspection, maintenance and sometimes rapid response all year round.
‘Sanitation is fundamentally about dignity, public health and creating communities where residents can live with confidence in the services they rely on every day. Through the Mayoral Priority Programme on Sanitation, we have deliberately focused on long-term, preventative interventions that address the root causes of sewer overflows rather than simply responding to them after the fact.
‘This sewer jetting programme is a key deliverable of that commitment. By dramatically increasing proactive cleaning across our sewer network, we have reduced sewer overflows by approximately 32%. These results demonstrate what can be achieved when we take a bigger-picture approach to service delivery and investing in the infrastructure, maintenance and operational excellence needed to protect residents, uphold sanitation dignity and build a more resilient city for generations to come,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Winter preparations include:
- Â Jet-cleaning sewer mains using specialised combination units
- Â Cleaning sand traps, pump station sumps and wet wells
- Monitoring pump station telemetry systems for early fault detection
- Rapidly repairing collapsed sewer lines
- Replacing broken, stolen or damaged manhole covers
- Servicing electrical and mechanical components at critical pump stations
- Inspecting properties for illegal stormwater-to-sewer connections
- Educating residents through ongoing campaigns such as Bin It, Don’t Block It, which promote responsible waste disposal and discourage inappropriate items from being flushed or washed down toilets and drains
Important reminder to residents: Keep manhole covers in place
Residents are reminded never to remove manhole covers during heavy rainfall. Although this may appear to help drain floodwater, it allows stormwater to enter the sewer network, overloading the system and significantly increasing the risk of sewer overflows, environmental pollution and damage to infrastructure. Stormwater should always flow into the stormwater drainage system, not the sewer network. Residents are urged not to tamper with manhole covers under any circumstances.
