Carletonville is still not getting water directly from the reservoir across from 007 as it did in the past.
The Merafong City Local Municipality recently said its main reservoir would supply the residents of Carletonville
directly. It even warned that there may be temporary water cuts during the reconnection period.
Carletonville’s water supply was previously connected to Rand Water directly and the numerous burst pipes in
town from time to time were said to have been caused by the resultant water pressure fluctuations.
During the past week, there were several more water leaks and, on Friday, water streamed down Anthracite
Street after a pipe on the sidewalk in front of No. 13 burst early in the morning.
In the meantime, a burst pipe on the corner of Dolomite Road and Reineke Street caused large volumes of water
to be lost. Much of this flowed into the same storm water drain in which a deluge of sewage from a manhole just
around the corner in Reineke Street was pouring. Many took their frustrations to social media.
When the Herald visited the corner of Dolomite Road and Reineke Street just after 09:00 on Monday, the municipal
workers had just arrived.
When the Herald enquired about the situation on Tuesday, the municipal spokesperson said the problem has been addressed.
‘The sewer blockage was complicated and took a number of days to clear but it was finally sorted out on Monday,
18 September 2017.
‘The burst water pipe was prioritised to curb water losses. This matter has now also been resolved,’ he reported.
‘The bulk storage facility (reservoir) could not be reinstated because of technical problems. This has left the municipality with no choice but to continue feeding the area directly from the Rand Water main supply line.
To control the pressure in the system, pressure reducing valves (PRVs) have been installed. It is when these
valves malfunction that the pressure increases and the pipes can burst,’ he explained.
