#GoodNews – Process of rehabilitating Eastleigh Spruit underway
The rehabilitation project will be a multi-year project, four kilometres of the spruit will be improved.
With the process of rehabilitating the Eastleigh Spruit underway, community members can start breathing a sigh of relief.
Also read: #Floods – Lack of maintenance has lead to a costly disaster
Improvements planned for the spruit should result in a controlled flow of water through the spruit and prevent further erosion.
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News of the spruit’s rehabilitation comes after two Johannesburg High Court rulings and numerous articles done by the NEWS.
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Following the November 2016 floods, the condition of the spruit left the Edenvale community concerned.
Also read: DA questions EMM’s response to #floods
The 2016 floods forced many Edenvale businesses to shut down and numerous homes were flooded.
Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle said the improvements made to Eastleigh Spruit by the City of Ekurhuleni should reduce future flooding.
Multimedia: Videos and gallery from November 9 floods
“The Eastleigh Spruit has been a problem for many years,” said Rundle.
“I am glad something is being done to change that.”
The rehabilitation of the spruit will see its riverbanks and riverbed stabilised.
Also read: Eastleigh business face closure after flood damage
An attenuation dam is also planned to be built in Hurlyvale.
Rundle estimates that the project will start in April this year.
“The rehabilitation project will be a multi-year project and four kilometres of the spruit will be improved,” said Rundle.
Once the Eastleigh Spruit has been rehabilitated it should resemble the channel near Plantation Road Bridge.
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Casper Badenhorst, a director at the Eastleigh business Propshaft Master, said the business is glad the rehabilitation process of the spruit has started.
Last year the Johannesburg High Court ruled in favour of Propshaft Master, Wieland SA and Fluid Power.
The court made its rulings after EMM failed to maintain the Eastleigh Spruit.
“I believe any improvement to the spruit will be good for Edenvale and its businesses,” said Badenhorst.
Rundle hopes that once the spruit has been upgraded it will be maintained regularly.
He believes maintenance and cleaning of the spruit will reduce the chances of flooding.
“In 2016 we saw how fallen trees and other obstructions hindered the flow of water and contributed to the flooding,” said Rundle.
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