Plans in place to tackle sewerage problems

Sewage leaks are a massive problem in the city but they are being attended to.

Joburg Water, the municipal entity that supplies and manages water and sewage for the City of Johannesburg’s six regions, is fully aware of residents’ issues with leaking sewerage pipes around the city.

When asked what plans are in place to identify faulty and ageing sewerage pipes, Joburg Water spokesperson, Isaac Dhludhlu said the reason for planned and unplanned water outages is to carry out infrastructure replacements.

He said, “Johannesburg Water has annual targets to replace ageing infrastructure, both sewer and water pipes.

“Once these pipes are replaced they will be less likely to be faulty and burst, which causes frustration for residents and motorists.”

He added that when these water outages happen, Joburg Water always provides water tanks so affected residents have access to water.”

Joburg Water has emphasised how big a challenge leaking sewerage pipes are in the city.

Dhludhlu stated, “Sewer leakages are a major concern to the entity and all residents, but our research indicates a level of negligence in most instances whereby foreign objects are thrown into the sewer, thus causing unnecessary blockages.”

He urged residents to stop throwing things such as nappies, condoms and rubbish into toilets and drains, as it results in burst pipes, with sewage filling the streets.

As the entity continues to tackle ageing sewerage infrastructure they plead with residents to be water wise. The country remains with a scarcity of water, as the demand for this resource outstrips supply.

Residents are expected to practice water saving methods and contact Joburg Water for any water- and sewage-related issues.

These can be reported via the following platforms:

• Email: customer@jwater.co.za
• 24-hour hotline: 011 375 555
• Johannesburg Water: Facebook page
• Twitter: @jhbwater

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