Asbestos cement pipe replacements not on the cards yet in Bordeaux
Ward councillor says realistically the replacement of infrastructure will take years.
After a string of water pipe bursts in Bordeaux, the local ward councillor has set the matter as a top priority, though he said the old asbestos cement pipes will likely not be replaced soon.
Recently, the old age home Garden Village, among other houses, was left without water for two days when a pipe burst in Garden Road.
Ward 102 councillor David Potter blamed the state of ageing infrastructure, where often repairs on one burst in Bordeaux lead to bursts further down the pipeline. This after he told Randburg Sun he is still waiting on a petition that was submitted in July 2019 for the repairs of water pipes.
“In Ward 102, which spans over 16km squared, the suburbs of Mill Hill, sections of Bryanston and Blairgowrie have had water pipe replacements completed over the years,” Potter said.
“Currently, a water pipe replacement project is underway in Forbes Road, Blairgowrie. This project remains incomplete with many delays and is fraught with challenges.”
The current asbestos cement in many of the older suburbs will be here to stay for some years to come and continue to cause bursts, Potter added.
“The repair of water pipes often results in damage to pavements and roads which then requires necessary reinstatement. As of February this year, Joburg Water has appointed its own reinstatement contractors and are seemingly in more control of the reinstatement process.
This related to Joburg Roads Agency, which was mostly closed from March 2020 to February 2022, and has 5 000 reinstatements in its backlog, Potter said, though this does not stop him championing infrastructure upgrades.
“The current newly installed multi-party City executive team lead by the mayor, Mpho Phalatse, is working tirelessly to turn the city around, a task which will not be fully completed today or tomorrow or next week or next month, not even next year. The reality is that it will take years.”
Log problems in your area
Potter concluded by encouraging residents to log issues (not just burst water pipes) on the following email addresses and websites:
- Log water bursts by email to customer@jwater.co.za
- Log power outages and street lights on citypower.mobi
- Log potholes, road markings, damaged barriers, faulty traffic signals by email to hotline@jra.org.za
- Log overflowing dustbins on public roads, broken, stolen or missing dustbins by email to info@pikitup.co.za
- Log fallen trees, overflowing dustbins in parks, branches needing pruning by email to crmgroup@jhbcityparks.com
Potter also encouraged residents to follow the city’s entities on Twitter.
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