Precious water wasted through leaks in Kloofendal Reserve

Friends of Kloofendal founder and Kloofendal Nature Reserve chairman Steve Spottiswoode is concerned about the continuous freshwater leaks that have been happening in one of their underground pipes passing through the reserve for over a year now.

He said that looking at the current status of the country, this is a precious resource that should not be underappreciated at any convenience, and he explained that they have lodged numerous complaints and requests to Johannesburg Water (JW), but no permanent solutions or actions have been taken.

He added that even though the leaking pipe is passing through a wetland, there’s still significant damage in the reserve, such as water waste, habitat disruption, disrupted educational programmes, and eventually the loss of biodiversity, just to name a few.

Speaking to the Roodepoort Record, Steve used a five-litre bucket to demonstrate how much water is being wasted every day.

“The bucket is filled up in about two seconds, meaning about 200 000 litres of water are wasted daily.”

In conclusion, Steve said they seek not only the restoration of this leaking underground pipe but also a comprehensive plan to prevent this from recurring.

The Record approached JW for comment, and as soon as it is received, an update will be published.