#braaiday: varying explanations for water, power issues

Heritage Day has kicked off in parts of Benoni with the wonderful sound of generators –  this on the back of no water in many areas since around 09:00 yesterday, which has continued to today.

While metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini told the City Times this morning the power outage is due to a sub station “blowing up” in Modderfontein, the councillor for the area is not aware of this and is awaiting feedback on the power issue, which seems to be affecting Airfield and Farrarmere mostly.

Dlamini said the water pumps were restored during the early hours of this morning.

“However, due to water being used while there was no water being pumped, the pipes are now filled with air, which is why parts of Benoni are experiencing low pressure or no water,” he said.

With regard to the electricity, he said the Modderfontein substation “blew up”, affecting parts of Benoni and Brakpan.

Ward 27 councillor Lornette Joseph said in a statement this morning that there were two separate issues regarding the water yesterday:

• At around 13:30 the water went off in Morehill, Rynfield and parts of Ebotse, which are fed from the Crystal Park pump station. Rand Water then started doing the “throttling” of water/restrictions in that area. Water started to return by late afternoon. Water was fully restored to Morehill.
• With regard to Northmead pump station, she started receiving messages at around 8:30am to say there was no water in certain streets and advised the council teams of this.
• A team was dispatched and it was found the pump had mechanical failure.  The team worked until very late last night.
• At 21:15 last night the councillor was notified that the pumps were working and pumping water. Water was restored in some areas although the pressure was very low. Other streets did not get water.
• Water tankers arrived at around 21:20 in Farrar Street. Joseph was there assisting residents until 22:30.
• She arranged for three water tankers to be put on site this morning again and from there they will be dispatched to hospitals, clinics, old age homes affected.
• She wanted to be sure everything was up and running as areas still had not water at midnight and needed to be sure there was a back-up system.
• So, the pumps were on already by 21:15 and starting to build pressure.
• Joseph spoke to the engineer early this morning and a team had already been dispatched.
• Residents were confused with regard to the Rand Water restrictions imposed and the mechanical failure at the pump station. These were two very separate issues.
• About the power failure affecting Airfield and Farrarmere, Joseph said she notified the team early and has no knowledge of a sub station blowing up in Modderfontein.
• She is awaiting feedback and will provide an update on the power.

Yesterday

Councillor Mary Goby said in a voice message on a service delivery group yesterday at around 11am that “every pump station in Benoni has problems today”.

A further message at 12:00 from councillor Lornette Joseph stated there was a “large breakdown” at the pump station in Northmead and that a council team was on site. Estimated time of repair was 16:00 and water to be fully restored at 19:00.

Just after 19:00 however she sent another update to say the team “has hit another problem and are still working on the fault”.

Joseph requested water tankers and it was confirmed these would be on site at Northmead water tower in 30 minutes but residents posted on groups at 21:00 they had been waiting for an hour and no show of water tankers.

A further update came at 21:00 stating both KNH pumps failed in Northmead and repairs were now scheduled for 22:30 to start pumping and for the network to receive stabilised water and pressure by 01:30.

Water tankers were then to be positioned at Farrar Tower.

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