A REPORT ON AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE WILLOWVALE SEWER RETICULATION PROJECT, WARD 25, WILLOWVALE TOWN, IN THE MBHASHE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, AMATHOLE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY, THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCE

The proposed treatment works are planned for vacant land adjacent to the Willowvale cemetery. Sewer pipelines will primarily be installed within the road reserves of existing roads, ensuring minimal disruption to the urban landscape. Notably, the entire project infrastructure falls within the urban edge of Willowvale Town, aligning with local development and planning frameworks.

The sanitation infrastructure in Willowvale, located within the study area, currently relies on a combination of pit latrines, conservancy tanks, septic tanks, or, in some cases, no formal system at all. To address these challenges, the Amathole District Municipality has proposed a waterborne sewerage reticulation system. This system will include oxidation ponds, sewer reticulation networks, and pump stations to improve sanitation and wastewater management in the area.

At present, Willowvale lacks a local disposal facility. As a result, effluent from conservancy tanks must be transported approximately 32 kilometres west to Idutywa, where it is treated at the existing wastewater treatment plant.