Work begins on fixing Ferndale water issue

Various bursts on underground pipes, as well as work to repair them, have left residents on Vine Avenue in Ferndale with little or no water for three weeks, and with much frustration.

“This issue has been a huge problem. To all the residents that have been affected by this, I offer my sincere apologies,” said Ward 104 councillor Mike Wood. This issue has been going on for some time now, and it is all to do with ageing infrastructure that needs to be replaced.  Wood, who confirmed details of the operation with on-site officials, said that the old system of piping used asbestos pipes, which are now being replaced with PVC pipes. “In this area, there are between three and four places that have been damaged. The only solution to this is to replace the pipe in its entirety, as replacing a small section of breakage will only lead to more breakages further up the line.”

Joburg Water confirmed on their social media on 29 June that the Randburg and Zandfontein depots have been closed as a safety precaution due to Covid-19 fears. The delay is that Joburg Water needed to source new piping from further afield, and workers working on the project have also come from elsewhere. Wood also noted a 2017 City of Joburg report that stated that the City still has an R170-billion backlog in infrastructure development, and a big portion of that was for water, totalling R5.6 billion. “Once again, I apologise for any frustration caused, but I appeal to all residents affected to please be patient while this issue is sorted out. Once sorted, it will be for good. Quick and temporary solutions will only cause more problems.”

Joburg Water installed various JoJo Tanks in the area that residents can use to collect fresh water suitable for drinking and cooking while repairs take place. The team from Joburg Water started their repair work on 29 June, and hope to be completed in 12 hours.