“The burst pipe has been running for three solid months, night and day and we’re in a drought. I can’t calculate the amount of water that has been lost just from this one problem. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that this problem has to be dealt with.”
These were the comments made by David Ryba, a concerned resident of Parktown North in light of the burst water pipe on 3rd Road and 5th Avenue.
Ryba claimed that officials from Joburg Water had come out to the area on several occasions, but had done nothing to resolve the longstanding issue. “[Joburg Water] has been here three to five times [already]. They drive here, look at the problem, get in the van and then drive off.”
In a written response to Rosebank Killarney Gazette on 12 February, two weeks after Ryba complained about the burst water pipe, Joburg Water said the issue had been resolved. “The matter was resolved by the Zandfontein depot and the client (David Ryba) was provided with feedback on the same day of the enquiry (29 January),” said Isaac Dhludhlu, communications and marketing manager at Joburg Water.
“Clients are advised to report all water and sewer leaks through the relevant channels of Johannesburg Water and [the] City of Johannesburg. It is therefore prudent that clients do their part and report immediately to avoid leaks going on for months without Joburg Water being aware of such [incidents].”
In addition, Dhludhlu said it is important for customers to interact with teams who attend site visits so as to keep up to speed with developments on the issues in question. “This is important so that they know what is going on. Customers need to start forming relationships with the team attending to the issue.”
Ryba admitted to the publication that this was not something that he’d taken initiative on. “I haven’t spoken with them personally while they were here because they come whenever they have time to come. They’ve been seen coming here and just as quickly getting in the van and driving off.”
Residents are also urged to continue to report all burst pipes, leaking water meters and open hydrants by contacting Joburg Water using the contact information below:
- Call 011 375 5555 or 011 688 1699;
- SMS 082 653 2143;
- Visit www.johannesburgwater.co.za;
- Tweet @JHBWater or;
- Johannesburg Water Facebook page
Have you encountered any issues with burst water pipes in your area? Send a message to us on our Facebook page.
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