Glenhazel resident Marilyn Braude is fed up with the water cuts and low-pressure issues she has experienced on a regular basis at her apartment in Northfield Avenue since the start of this year.
Braude said it was a constant frustration for residents in her complex to deal with water outages so regularly and without any prior warning.
“Although I reported the problem to Joburg Water, I have had absolutely no response,” she said.
Speaking to the Gazette on 21 April, Braude said since the previous week, they had no water for four out of six days.
“This has become quite ‘normal’ but so intolerable. We are never given any details or warnings. In our present Covid climate where cleanliness, sanitation and basic hygienic standards are not only necessary but a basic human right, we find ourselves in this extremely unpleasant and intolerable situation.”
Braude added that not all the residents in her complex were affected by the outages but her friend Brian Swaine who lived in a small complex in Cross Road had experienced the same challenges.
“I also have problems with pressure and my water going on and off,” said Swaine.
Ward 72 councillor Lionel Greenberg was aware of the situation and said he had escalated the issue with Joburg Water.
Greenberg said reports from Joburg Water indicated that they were investigating the cause of the issue in areas supplied by the Randjieslaagte Reservoir.
The spokesperson for Joburg Water Eleanor Mavimbela said the depot manager was aware of the problem affecting Glenhazel residents.
“A huge part of the problem has been issued at the Randjieslaagte Reservoir where supply is not meeting demand and the reservoir is at a low level,” said Mavimbela.
She said the valve at the reservoir was replaced and a burst pipe under the N3 bridge was also repaired recently in hope that the issue would be resolved.
“At last check, the water level had not picked up as much as we thought it would. We will wait two days to see if it does pick up and if not, we will go back to investigating all possibilities,” said Mavimbela on 28 April.
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