A community member has raised concerns about the lack of action to repair a water leak that has wasted thousands of litres of water.

The leaking infrastructure in a City Power servitude between the N3 highway and First Avenue is a major concern for community members, as water scarcity and water shortages in local communities have become a daily reality.

First Avenue resident Liz van der Schyff, who has tried reporting the leak to have it repaired, said that by October 7 the infrastructure would have been leaking excessively for seven weeks.

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When the news met with Van der Schyff at the site, she explained that the infrastructure had been leaking for years, but suddenly started leaking exponentially on August 20.

She described the infrastructure in question as an inspection chamber.

“I have been living here for a long time; I have watched things going on in the veld,” said Van der Schyff.

“One of the things that used to happen was people who lived in the veld would collect beautiful fresh water from the leaking infrastructure.”

Van der Schyff said individuals would drink the water, use it to bathe, and bring trolleys to collect it.

She said initially the leak started out small.

According to Van der Schyff, people collecting water would climb into the chamber and collect water with containers.
She noted that sightings of individuals collecting water are infrequent.

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“The people come, and they go; we also have a lot of foot traffic through this servitude.”

Van der Schyff said although the chamber was leaking continuously over the years, community members and neighbours would report it, though not as adamantly as they are now.

“The fact that the chamber is now filled with water and continuously leaking must mean that a big pipe has burst,” said Van der Schyff.

“At the rate that the water is flowing out of the chamber, it is thousands upon thousands of litres that are being wasted.”

“I am less worried about the people collecting the water and more concerned about this terrible and disgraceful waste of water.”

She said the soil has become so saturated by the leak that it has almost created its own river.

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Van der Schyff said when she initially tried reporting the matter, she first contacted the City of Johannesburg, as the infrastructure is located in a City Power servitude.

She was informed by the city that she would need to contact the City of Ekurhuleni.

Since contacting the City of Ekurhuleni, Van der Schyff has received three separate reference numbers from the municipality.

“Every time I phone the city, they are unable to find my reference number. The last person I spoke to told me that it was probably just a one-day problem, but this has not been a one-day problem.”

Van der Schyff said that at times, when she contacts the City of Ekurhuleni, staff inform her that they can either not find her previous reference numbers or that the reference numbers have been closed.

“It begs the question: how can the reference number be closed when the water is still pumping out, and I was informed it was because the reference number was too old.”

Van der Schyff said when she last contacted the municipality on October 5, she was informed it would be repaired within 24 hours; however, when the news met her 48 hours later, the infrastructure was still leaking.

A request for comment was sent to the City of Ekurhuleni, City Power, and Rand Water.

The three entities were asked who was responsible for the damaged and leaking infrastructure, what caused the leak, when residents could expect it to be repaired, and why repairs had not been initiated.Comment was requested by October 9 at 15:00; at the time of going to print, no comment had been received.