Jubilee Park - MiniSASS Water Project

 

We have been involved in testing the water in Jubilee Park since we started there in 2010.

We sent our firwst samples off to the eThekwini Laboratories and they came back with a considerable ecoli count but not enough to be dangerous.  We decided we would investigate why ecoli was in the stream and discovered that most of the properties on the upside (western slope) all have soak pits and their storm water also comes into the park.  The soak pits may not be working properly because of age and thus seepage into the groundwater system is occurring.

 

We then spoke about perhaps planting fitration plants to try to combat the ecoli in the water as we could do nothing about the soak pits unless we investiaged their age, and condition and we did not feel this was our job. We had alerted the authritoes to the fact that ecoli was present in this stream in Jubilee Park.

 

We then got involved with John Hinck and Marion Spence as they decided to put in a borehole lower down near the stream, so that we could test the water there. 

The water was clearer at this point but there were still insignificant traces of Ecoli bacteria and this was after the water had gone through a small wetland area.

 

In 2014 one of the houses above the Park had problems with their storm water line.  The Roads 7 Sewers Department were called in and their only access was through the park.  They drove their CAT vehicle right through a section of the park despite being warned about the marshy conditions and their vehicle eventually got stuck in the mud up to its axles and had to be towed out of the park.   This caused further damage to the park.  

The area was newly rehabilitated and park carers John and Marion were distraught at the devastation caused by our very own Council - she termed it "abuse" and "lack of respect for the work that had been done in the park".

 

Highway Mail Newspaper 24/01/2014

 

We went to the park to survey tha damage and we drew water samples again to see what condition the watter was in.  We came back to school with the water sample. We had drawn from 3 tributatires that fee the wetlands area and the we called them Sample 1, 2 & 3.

The sample 1 was from the dmaged site area and this was devoid of life and very muddly In fact this tributaty had ceased to flow.

Sample 2 was a strange orangey colour and under the microscope we found micro ogrganisms.

Sample 3 was clearer but did not have as much life it it as sample 2.

We did not send the samples away for testing for ecoli.

 

We decided to wait to test the water once the area that had been damaged had settled down and we got involved in the replanting and reghabilitation of the area.

 

We will be testing the water after the exams for the final time.