The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) does not expect any more burst water pipes following repair work done to a faulty control valve.
In recent weeks there have been several large water leaks in the Edenvale area.
Ward 18 Clr Heather Hart said between November 1 and 4 eight pipes burst in Edenvale, on Second Street alone there were five locations where pipes had burst.
“The bursts in Edenvale and Elma Park were caused by a faulty control valve,” said Nhlanhla Cebekhulu, CoE divisional head of communication and media relations.
She said the valve is used to reduce water pressure in the infrastructure.
“The water and sanitation department inspected the valve in question and it seemed to be in order,” said Cebekhulu.
“It was only after department workers stripped the valve when they realised it was causing a water hammer [pressure surge] due to uneven operation.”
She said the team which responded to the valve serviced and repaired it.
“The water and sanitation department does not expect any further pipe bursts in the Edenvale area as a result of excessive pressures.”
Despite the water pipes in Edenvale being approximately 32 years old, Cebekhulu said the CoE does not believe the bursts were attributed to the age of the pipes.
When asked whether the CoE would upgrade any pipes in Edenvale, Cebekhulu said no.
“The CoE did not budget for the replacement of any pipes in the Edenvale area.”
However, she explained that the CoE will replace pipes when they reach the end of their useful life.
When attending to a water leak or burst pipe municipal workers need to close valves on the reticulation network.
This is done to isolate the leak and prevent further water loss.
Once the necessary valves are closed the site will be made safe for the public and the team assigned to conduct repair work.
The team will then start with excavations to expose the damaged pipe.
Depending on the severity of the leak the team will either clamp the pipe temporarily or replace the damaged section.
After this has all been done, water supply will be restored.
“In the City’s experience, the most common reason pipes bursts are old age and external damage caused by contractors installing fibre cables,” said Cebekhulu.
Report burst pipes and other municipal matters to:
• 0860 543 000 or 011 999 2900 (Edenvale Customer Care Centre)
• call.centre@ekurhuleni.gov.za
• My Ekurhuleni App available on the Google Play and Apple stores.
