Douglasdale residents say Johannesburg Water is ignoring them, as recurring water outages continue to affect homes, schools, and businesses across the suburb.

Residents claim that burst pipes have become a near-daily occurrence in some parts of the area, leaving many without water for extended periods and forcing them to spend thousands of rands on alternative water solutions.

The latest issue is at the corner of Westway and Darter roads, which residents describe as a months-long saga.

Read more: Douglasdale residents spend more days without water than with, amid repeated leaks

On June 11, Fourways Review visited the leak with resident Chris Neumann, who said the disruption has become a daily reality for those living in the area.

“There was a major leak here about a month ago, and you can see the water’s been out for some time.

“After the first leak, there was another major one right next to it. It just keeps happening in the same spot. Residents are now spending more days without water than with water.”

The impact is being felt beyond households. Jenny de Kock, owner of Little Earth Kids preschool in Green Park, said water outages have become a major operational challenge for the school.

“When we get this no water for days and days and days, yes, we have gone and put a JoJo tank in at our own expense.”

De Kock explained that the preschool relies heavily on water to maintain hygiene standards and ensure children have access to functioning toilets throughout the day.

“You can imagine how many toilets need to be flushed a day. We have to keep the school germ-free. We’re cleaning all the time, we’re washing all the time, and a JoJo tank does not last forever.”

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According to De Kock, the repeated pipe bursts point to a broader infrastructure problem. “We have burst pipes almost weekly, and they seem to be digging in the same place all the time. Why not fix it properly the first time? Why not get the infrastructure up to standard?

“I think there have been many, many years of a lack of maintenance, and now, we, as a community, are paying for that lack of maintenance.”

Ward 103 councillor Chris Santana, who visited the site with residents, acknowledged the ongoing frustrations, and said ageing infrastructure remained a major challenge.

“We should have heard proper repairs. We shouldn’t be waiting for infrastructure to collapse.

“I will be doing a petition, and proposals for infrastructure upgrades will form part of our ongoing engagement with the city. It still doesn’t change the fact that we are continuously having water issues.”

Johannesburg Water and Johannesburg Roads Agency were contacted for comment on June 13 regarding residents’ concerns, the repeated pipe failures, and the condition of repair sites. No response had been received at the time of publication.

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