THE uMhlathuze Department of Water and Sanitation has come under fire from angry Empangeni residents about unattended water leaks that have been running non-stop for weeks.
According to a Dohrmel Property agent, who preferred to remain anonymous, the municipality worked on a water meter on 20 March at a property they manage.
‘They chipped the glass off the meter, which I reported the same day to the municipality. I have a reference number to prove this.
‘We have been following up on this case every day since it was reported and even went as far as going to the municipality to try and speed up the process.
PHOTO: Orrin Singh
‘Nothing has been done since then and the water leakage continues,’ she said.
A resident of Watercrest Mews on Moth Street in Empangeni, Jayde van Huyssteen, has had her home waterlogged for more than two months.
‘Water is literally bubbling up from the paving. I even had to dig a trench to divert the water away from my home and into my garden. It is constantly running,’ she said.
Mare van Vuuren who manages the Watercrest Mews property, said she is at her wits end.
‘The municipality told us they do not know where the water running along a retaining wall at one of the homes in the complex comes from.
Confusion
‘Initially they thought it was a leaking pipe. After two meetings I was informed this could be water from the reservoir. Now I am informed the water could be from storm drains and/or the reservoir running into one pipe.
‘The water has been tested and it is chlorinated water.
‘It has been running for more than two months – a lot of water wasted,’ she said.
Late Tuesday evening the uMhlathuze Department of Water and Sanitation provided Van
Huyssteen with a map in which they identified three areas in which leaks have been located.
Another resident in Voyager Road in Empangeni, who also chose to remain anonymous, noted that his premises has gaping holes that have been filling up with water since the municipality has excavated certain sites on his property.
‘There is even an exposed cable which the electricity guys are supposed to cover up.’
‘The electricity and water departments do not communicate, because when the electricity department arrives to work on the site, there is water and then they can’t do anything.
‘This is the second or third time it has burst and it is a hazard for my children who want to play in my yard, not to mention the number of mosquitoes the stagnant water attracts.’
The municipality said it is aware of the problem and is attending to it. Any inconvenience was regretted.
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