Several issues have been nagging the residents within the RiverWel Residents Association’s borders.
Following the December rain, the culvert under the Cockspur Road bridge has been partially blocked with debris and the remains of a tree trimmed to repair a burst pipe on Wildebraam Street sat surrounded by Johannesburg Water-branded cones for several weeks. As well as potholes, causing the most aggravation due to the volume of wastage is a broken water pipe on Amarant Street.
The broken pipe sits under the verge outside the house of Beverley Millet who reported water seeping from under the slate driveway. Beverley first logged the fault on February 3 and Johannesburg Water’s first appearance was on February 9 where they dug a meter by meter and a half trench saying they would return with the required pipe. Water has since filled the trench, water flowing down the hill to a drain in Harpuis Street roughly 300 metres away.
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In a visit to Amarant Street on March 3, Johannesburg Water contractors mentioned to Beverley that they would again return the following week with the required materials.
“Due to the locality of the broken pipe being under a tree, we needed to secure four lengths of pipe including fittings to go around the tree to resolve the issue,” relayed Johannesburg Water’s Roodepoort Depot Manager, Kobus Beukes, via the entity’s communications department.
Upon the contractor’s return, they informed Beverley that they would require the Acacia tree alongside her driveway to be removed before being able to repair the pipe. Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) spokesperson, Jenny Moodley, said that her entity only removed trees when necessary and would require a request from Johannesburg Water to remove the tree. Moodley stated that Johannesburg Water has the information and JCPZ is awaiting their request.
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Beverley has been trying to get the tree removed for over 10 years but regarding underground pipes, Moodley said the roots of trees only penetrated already compromised plumbing. Beverley has experienced no lack of pressure or disruption of her water supply but other than the mess outside her home, her inconvenience has been limited to parking her car at a neighbour as she was afraid the sodden driveway may cave in.
The problem is now over a month old and water pooling along Dolfhout Street and Harpuis Street is negatively affecting the road surfaces. Water is a precious commodity and as litres are lost daily time ticks on plugging the breach.
