Water goes to waste as council waits for budget approval

Large amounts of water are going to waste at the Bosman Stadium and Brakpan Cemetery due to major leaks. Both facilities are maintained by the municipality and the water wastage has been allowed to continue for months.

An area of the stadium is flooded with incalculable litres of water gushing out of the ground. The leak has developed into a steady stream and has resulted in the flooding of a nearby electrical box.

In the recreation park outside the Brakpan Cemetery, there is also a considerable leak that is concealed by overgrown reeds.

This too has seen water being wasted for months. According to City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, the municipality is aware of the leaks.

“The challenge that gave rise to the leaks has been complex in that it requires multi-facets services from three City departments, namely water and sanitation, roads and stormwater and real estate,” he said.

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“The infrastructure has aged and thus needs a huge capital budget. The challenge to resolve was compounded by the City’s current financial constraints.”

Asked when the leaks will be attended to, Dlamini stated they will be resolved once a capital budget is approved by the council.

No answer was provided as to when this will take place. It was, however, explained that there is an outfall sewer line running inside the stadium and this line is under capacity and cannot cope with the amount of effluent from the surrounding areas.

“This will need capital expenditure funding and the approvals for the upgrade. This line has a low slope and collects a lot of silt, and always needs a combination of trucks to unblock,” he said.

Dlamini stated the main cause of the leaks is the underground water and sewer pipes which have reached the end of their life span and need to be replaced. Stormwater drainage will also have to be redirected to a suitable catchment area.