Burst pipes plague Glen Anil community

RESIDENTS in Glen Anil say they are at the end of their collective tether as frequent burst water pipes are causing havoc in the area.

They have called on the eThekwini Municipality to replace ageing asbestos pipes to prevent further damages to verges, roads and properties.

In all, residents say there have been close to 15 bursts in the last nine months.

Nathanael Naicker said the recent spate of bursts is testing residents’ patience.

“What has been most frustrating is the knock-on effect each burst causes. We’ve seen cases of properties being flooded, road surfaces being damaged and often dug-up holes are left open. The turnaround time, not only to fix the burst pipe but then to reinstate roads is ridiculous. We understand that bursts do occur, and we can do without water for a few hours, but not 24 hours at a time which is what is currently occurring.

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“Our call is for the entire line of water pipes to be replaced on problem roads. The Curl, Glen Anil Street and Highdale Road are three roads that are often hit by bursts. We know there will be more because each time a burst happens, the old pipe is removed and a new join is put in. Inevitably, due to ageing infrastructure, there will be another burst down the line. The verges and roads are then left in a mess with rubble piled up alongside it. Sometimes, the holes aren’t filled which is dangerous for motorists and residents,” he said.

Naicker, who is also a pastor, said he has had to hand-deliver water to pensioners, residents with disabilities and those not able to access water tankers which come to central points.

Avi Pillay, a resident on Glen Anil Street, said the last burst pipe caused water to flood his garden.

“I do agree with Pastor Nathaneal that the whole line from The Curl and Glen Anil Street needs to be replaced rather than the current method of removing and adding in joins. The last burst ended up flooding my garden, and at my own expense, I had to get help to clean up. The silt and other items also flow into your garden. My neighbour could not access his property for a time because the water had actually stopped his gate from working,” Pillay said.

Ward councillor for the area Aamir Abdul said he understood the residents’ frustrations.

“Burst water pipes are a regular occurrence in the area, particularly the bottom end of Glen Anil. We are told there is no budget to address these issues, however, the solution is clear: replace the entire line on affected roads. I sympathise with the residents and understand their frustrations because the outages are so long. There is a knock-on effect in residents being left without water and damage to properties and roads. As councillor, I’m fighting to get this problem solved,” he said.

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