WELTEVREDEN PARK – A sewage pipe is leaking into the Klein Jukskei at a rapid rate. The leak is underneath the N1 Highway at the Beyers Naudé Drive off-ramp.
Ward 126 councillor Mike Tonkin reported the problem to Joburg Water in June. He believes that it occurred after some flooding in the Klein Jukskei earlier in the year.
The problem is twofold. A sewage access hole is leaking extensively and further upstream a pipe has been broken in a number of places.
The damage is extensive. “It would have been a maintenance expenditure if they had caught it in time but now it will have to be a capital expenditure as they’ll need to replace the whole pipe. I would estimate the cost to be about half a million rand,” said Tonkin, “It is polluting the river. Eventually this stream runs all the way into the Hartbeespoort Dam and some people end up drinking it.”
Tonkin believes the problem to be indicative of poor service delivery in Johannesburg.
Johannesburg Water spokesperson, David Sibiya, would comment immediately, however, at the time of inspection a sub-contractor had been appointed to begin the maintenance.
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