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Water leaks lead to water supply problems

Four water leaks are to blame for the week-long water issues which affected several Benoni suburbs in the last three weeks.

The City Times reported on May 29 that Northmead Extension Four had experienced a sporadic water supply for a week, from May 17.

Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said Northmead, Farrarmere, Brentwood Park and Goedeburg also had water supply issues.

He added that the following leaks were to blame for water interruptions:

  •  a major burst pipe on President Kruger Road and O’Reilly Merry Street (fixed on May 18); a valve was incorrectly closed on O’Reilly Merry Street and President Brand Road; these affected Northmead.
  •  A burst water pipe on Cambridge Street and Godwin Road (repaired on May 20); a major burst pipe on Beryl Street (fixed on May 20 and 21); these affected Farrarmere, Goedeburg and Brentwood Park.

Despite these problems, some Brentwood Park residents have been complaining about weak water pressure for four years.

Jacques Wiggett, who lives on Clan William Crescent, said it takes him 10 minutes to fill a bath.

“During the day there is hardly any water,” he explained.

“There is water, but if you want to use it for the washing machine or the car, it’s pathetic.”

Wiggett said there is poor water pressure during the day and during peak times.

Barry van Heerden, chairperson of Brentwood Villas, said he experienced poor water pressure 70 per cent of the time.

“The water pressure is perfect today (May 27), but come tomorrow, it might not be.” he said.

He said most of the time weak water pressure occurs from 8am until 5pm.

Clr André du Plessis, of Ward 23, said he has been fighting the weak water pressure for the past four years.

He said the high volume of developments in Brentwood Park, especially along Kirschner Road, is one of the main reasons for poor water supply; the existing infrastructure cannot cope with the demand.

Du Plessis said developers pay a large sum of money to the municipality before they are given permission to develop complexes.

This money should be used for upgrading infrastructure.

“It almost seems to me that the money is not being used to upgrade infrastructure, especially water pipes,” he added.

The City Times was excluded from attending a meeting that was held with Clr Stefanie Kruger, officials from Village Walk Retirement Village, a caretaker and two Ekurhuleni water officials.

The retirement village has suffered from water interruptions in the past.

The City Times was informed that, at the meeting, the officials admitted to the municipality’s poor water infrastructure in the region.

They cited this as one of the reasons Brentwood Park has experienced weak water pressure in the past.

Gadebe said the following “contributing factors” led to no water, or problems with water pressure, in Brentwood Park:

n the booster pump at KAH could not pump the required level of water to the tower due to load shedding. The areas that are fed from the tower were compromised since, when the electrical supply was restored the tower level was already down and, at time, the pumps had tripped.

  •  Constant physical monitoring of the pumps was done and pumps were switched on if found to have tripped.
  •  The diesel back-up motor had broken down.

He did not say when these factors affected water supply.

The City Times is awaiting comment from Ekurhuleni on water supply problems in Brentwood Park.

No comment had been received at the time of going to print.

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