Bedfordview burst pipes leave roads waiting weeks for reinstatement
Several streets in Bedfordview are marred by reinstatements with some lasting months and the councillor is concerned about them.
Burst pipes occasionally occur in Bedfordview; however, after repairs, reinstatements may remain for weeks and even months. Ward 20 councillor Jill Humphreys highlighted two of the many reinstatements lurking in Bedfordview. One is on Harper Road, where there was a burst on August 17.
“This whole area, including Riley Road, was totally flooded. So it took the entire day with water pouring up. The team came and turned off the valves,” Humphreys described.
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She added that a TLB for excavation had to be requested from the Boksburg Customer Care Centre (CCC), as there wasn’t one available at the Edenvale Depot.
The councillor also noted that cement asbestos, which is vulnerable to tree roots and heat, had been used. It took several hours to complete the work, and the workers had to switch off all the water. Humphreys observed,
“It looks like they replaced the pipes with the same cement asbestos. All these old pipes should actually be replaced.”
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The work was completed at about 20:00 on August 18, and water came back on that night.
Another reinstatement was at 96 Kloof Road, where work was completed two months ago after a burst pipe.
Humphreys said the water department has to tidy up the work at 96 Kloof Road, as trees were felled and several pipes were left exposed on the surface.
