Massive leakage causes damage to companies in Stormhill

A leaking pipe in Stormill’s industrial business sector burst earlier in February, resulting in a major flood and causing damage to multiple businesses.

According to Hendrich Sullward, the manager of Calibre Plastics, the pipe started leaking in December 2022 in the veld front opposite his company. Curious to see where this water came from, he discovered the burst pipe along Main Reef Road.

“We have experienced this for over a year now with no hope of improvement,” says Sullward. On February 7 he noticed an overflow of water coming down to the road and into the company’s parking. “At first I thought it was from the heavy rains until water started coming into our factory,” he adds.

As heavy rains poured, flooding the veld, water continued to gush, causing damage to Scramont Engineering’s park area resulting in the company having to spend R210 000 on renovations.

“Standing water will inevitably break down the asphalt over time, eventually deteriorating the bonds between the asphalt binder, sand, and rocks that together form the pavement,” Sullward concludes.

Sullward contacted Rand Water on February 19 and was promised that an excavator would be brought to redirect the water to a drain after numerous complaints of damage to his factory. Sullward and his team took matters into their own hands by digging up the barrier but the heavy rains made it seem impossible to manage.

The spokesperson for Rand Water, Makenosi Maroo as well as the media managers Justice Mohale and Judith Khoza were contacted, but by the time of going to print, no response had been received.