Water pipe sabotage to cost taxpayers millions

THE city has likened the sabotage of a water supply pipe in Reservoir Hills to ‘domestic terrorism’. Today city bosses visited the scene of the incident to assess the damage. Speaking exclusively to Northglen News, uMhlanga councillor, Heinz de Boer, said the Durban Heights water treatment plant was vital to the city’s water supply and carried around 80 per cent of water to the northern surburbs.

On inspection it was found that the damage done to the suspension bridge was severe. They have decided not to repair or replace the damaged section. Their plan is to add 100 meters on to an existing pipe which links to an undamaged section of the 55-year-old major water supply pipe. It’s estimated the repair work will cost taxpayers close to R2-million.

“Fortunately there is another pipe that carries water to the north and the municipality has decided to add a section of piping to carry water northward. Though the figures are a rough estimate, 12 meters of pipe costs the city approximately R140 000, and  100 meters needs to be added on,” he said.

“This doest not include manual labour and other equipment needed for the repairs. Contractors are currently on site and have estimated the timeframe for the repair work could be two weeks.”

He also confirmed the suspension bridge and pipe which was built in 1959, had been tampered with a week before the collapse.

“The municipality then posted a security guard to the scene, however, the tampering had weakened the bridge structurally, and it only collapsed on Monday evening,” he said.

Though the city has restored 60 per cent of the northern water supply, De Boer asked residents to continue using water sparingly.