Senderwood road resurfacing sparks concerns over ageing water pipes
The Shelley Avenue, Senderwood road resurfacing commences for the next ten days while councillor is concerned about old pipes that may burst.
Resurfacing work commenced on Shelley Avenue in Senderwood on August 19, but Ward 20 Clr Jill Humphreys has raised concerns about the condition of the water pipes beneath the road.
Humphreys said Shelley Avenue has been a major problem in Senderwood for a long time, largely because of the numerous ageing water pipes running beneath the road.
“All of them are old and need to be replaced. What actually happens is that there will be a leak, and because they don’t replace it, they fix it where it’s leaking, and a metre away it will burst again because it’s old and should be totally replaced, but it’s not replaced,” she said.
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She added that the entire road needs the ageing pipes to be replaced.
Humphreys said she has emailed the City of Ekurhuleni several times, asking that the water infrastructure be addressed before the road is resurfaced, as she is concerned that the pipes will burst again.
“When these big machines come, such as the heavy machinery they use to resurface the road, and the milling starts, I can guarantee you all these pipes are going to start bursting again. The pipes aren’t low down but about a metre or less,” she said.
She also warned residents to expect a lot of noise while the work is underway.
According to Humphreys, the project is expected to take about 10 days at most, unless water pipes are damaged or burst, which could result in the work taking longer.
An enquiry was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni regarding its plans to replace the pipes and the scope of the resurfacing project.
