SASOLBURG. – Residents reported that a fire hydrant has been leaking since November last year.
Charmaine van der Merwe (26) and her father Chris vd Merwe say their lawn and the sidewalk outside their premises are so drenched with accumulating water that they cannot get to their mailbox without getting wet.
A complaint to the Metsimaholo Municipality in December 2015 proved fruitless and the leak continued. It was still leaking when they complained to Vaalweekblad on April 7 this year.
The only thing they remember being told is that Metsimaholo was waiting for “seals.” A fire hydrant sits in a street pending the advent of a fire. Firefighting personnel attach their hoses to a hydrant in order to access the water they spray onto flames. A hydrant is an essential safety feature in any community and in every area, especially central business districts, CBDs. In some countries, parking in front of hydrants is not allowed.
Megalitres of crystal clear water from burst pipes all over the municipal region are flowing into Vaal waterways via storm water drains, some of which are blocked so that streets end up inundated. Even the bursting of sewerage pipes is becoming common. The most common complaint from the public is that municipal telephones are simply never answered.
Residents are also commonly told that the municipal personnel are waiting for parts that are not available for repairs.
