Johannesburg Water explains delays in fixing water leaks
There are contributing factors to the delay in fixing water leaks.
Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala confirmed that all the leaks reported by the Southern Courier (April 16) were attended to and repaired.
She also explained the turnaround time for fixing leaks.
“The standard response time for attending to burst and leaking water pipes is 48 hours. For a leaking meter, it is three days. However, these response times can fluctuate and suffer delays according to the nature of the work/repairs needed, the machinery required, and the human labour needed.
“For example, the process of repairing includes the response team initiating an investigation into the issue, isolating the water supply, and exposing the damaged pipe. Once the water flow is stopped, they assess what material is needed, source it (sometimes requiring internal procurement processes), and repair the pipe.
“Furthermore, sometimes a welder or other specialist might need to complete the work and may not be available on that specific team. In such cases, that welder/specialist would need to be called in from another depot or team to assist, further delaying the process. So essentially, these kinds of issues contribute to the delay in repairs being completed,” explained Shabalala.
