UPDATE: Johannesburg Water responds to aging and always bursting pipes in Fourways
Councillors are calling for urgent upgrades, and some residents are demanding action to fix the problem. But the water utility says budget is a problem.
Johannesburg Water (JW) has admitted that parts of the water infrastructure in Fourways consist of aging asbestos cement (AC) pipes, which explains the constant leaks and bursts over time.
According to the water utility’s media spokesperson Puleng Mopeli, budget constraints remain a challenge for them.
Councillor Vino Reddy, of Ward 93, said residents in Sunninghill had to depend on water tankers for almost two weeks after multiple pipe bursts, of which most were at the same spot due to the aging pipes, as previously reported by Fourways Review.
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On the other hand, David Foley, Ward 94 councillor, has expressed frustration with the high volume of calls from residents complaining about open excavations and frequent pipe bursts. The answer he receives to requests about upgrades is always: ‘Budget constraints’, the same answer Reddy says he gets.
“The utility has identified the need for upgrades and is working within available budget allocations to systematically replace these pipes. Delays in backfilling excavations may occur due to various operational factors,” said Mopeli, while adding that JW is working on improving turnaround times by streamlining processes with relevant stakeholders.
When asked to share how JW prioritises pipe replacements, and what criteria is used to determine which areas receive attention first, Mopeli said pipe replacements are prioritised based on multiple factors, including the frequency of pipe bursts, age and material of existing infrastructure, water pressure fluctuations, and the number of households affected. “JW conducts regular condition assessments to determine which areas require urgent intervention while balancing citywide needs.”
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Despite the utility’s regularly planned maintenance, which is communicated to residents in advance, the persistent pipe bursts have raised questions about the effectiveness of these efforts.
What exactly are they doing during this maintenance if the pipes continue to burst? In response, Mopeli said routine maintenance is critical to ensuring the integrity of the water network.
She said, during the planned maintenance, JW carries out various activities, including valve replacements, pressure management, and leak detection. “While every effort is made to minimize disruptions, contingency measures, such as water tankers, are deployed to affected areas when necessary. In cases of complex repairs, additional time may be required to ensure work is completed effectively.”
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