A Vandia Grove resident is at his wit’s end after the same water pipe burst outside his home for the fifth time in as many months.
It took almost two hours for Johannesburg Water to turn the water off after the last burst on April 4.
This felt like an eternity for Gary Brink, whose home has been flooded during some of the previous bursts.
“I have claimed from my insurance three times,” the Hugo Street resident said.
“There are more joins than pipe I think. Joburg Water staff have even admitted that until the whole section is replaced, the pipe will just keep bursting. The pipe is almost 50 years old, and has become brittle.”
Ward 104 councillor Emi Koekemoer and Vandia Gardens Residents Association chairperson Richard Kushlick have also reported this issue to the municipality and requested long-term solutions.
“I also requested a site meeting with Joburg Water regarding the issue,” Koekemoer said.
Kushlick said he had written to the MMC of Environment and Infrastructure Services Jack Sekwaila requesting more funding be made available so Joburg Water could replace the old pipe.
“There is a lot of pressure in those pipes so when they burst there is a lot of water,” Kushlick said.
“Gary is beside himself because of how the water has flooded his property again and again. They are just waiting for the next burst. It is such a waste of money for the pipe to be repaired in different places. The whole pipe should be replaced.”
Brink said in the past he had to redirect water after bursts so that only his driveway and garages were flooded.
But on the occasions, he was not home, this was difficult to manage and his lounge was flooded once.
Joburg Water has also dug up his pavement, removed a tree, damaged electricity cables to leave him without power for days, and damaged his wall during their various repairs.
Questions were sent to Joburg Water spokesperson Nolwazi Dhlamini on April 3.
She was asked to confirm why the pipe kept bursting, what could be done about the problem, and when the resident could expect a long-term solution to this. Also, would Brink’s wall and pavement be repaired by Joburg Water and if so, when.
No comment was received by the time of going to print.
Related Article:
