Water woes in Bedfordview continue

Bedfordview residents endured another week without water because of multiple pipe bursts.

Again, the ageing infrastructure took the spotlight after several reported water leaks and pipe bursts.

This comes after residents were without water from November 4 to 8.

On November 8, ward Clr Jill Humphreys told them about a burst on Kirkby Road.

Repairing it requires shutting the valves in surrounding areas for the duration of the work.

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Over the weekend, the residents and councillor reported more bursts, exacerbating the situation.

These bursts affected various intersections and complexes, including Bradford, Smith, Kloof and Van Der Linde roads, Bedford Gardens and Kings Road.

On November 12, Humphreys told the residents that the valves must be shut for repairs with each burst, leading to further disruptions.

An average repair would take about six hours before water is restored.

“Our teams are working tirelessly, but it’s clear the pressure on our already old and compromised reticulation system is too much,” Humphreys said.

She added that the water pressure after opening the valves might have been too much after the recent outages.

“Our pipes simply cannot handle the pressure. The increased flow after these outages is likely causing the system to break down.”