A water leak that has persisted for three months on Witkoppen Road between Achter Roads and Milcliff Drive has finally been repaired, with Johannesburg Water completing extensive work at the site this week.

Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy visited the repair site and praised the utility for completing what he described as a challenging operation, while cautioning that the repair is still being monitored to ensure it has been fully successful.

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According to Reddy, the water utility began work on June 30 by excavating the affected section of the road before bringing in heavy machinery to expose the damaged pipe.

“The scope of the work was immense. There was a double layer of road surfacing, consisting of tar and concrete, which made the excavation particularly difficult. I have to applaud Johannesburg Water for completing the work.”

He said once the pipe was exposed, technicians discovered that the leak itself was relatively small.

“They found that the leak was quite literally the size of your thumb. They plugged it and welded a cap over it. It was a difficult repair because the leak was underneath the pipe, but it appears to have been successful.”

He said the water utility is continuing to monitor the site, where water remains in the excavation, to determine whether the repair is holding before the road can be fully reinstated.

The repairs have resulted in the temporary closure of part of Witkoppen Road, with traffic being diverted onto the eastbound carriageway. Reddy apologised for the inconvenience caused to motorists and residents.

“Fortunately, there have been few incidents, but I urge motorists to remain cautious while travelling through the area until the road is fully reopened.”

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Despite the repairs taking place on a major supply line, Reddy said residents experienced little to no disruption to their water supply.

“The water pressure was reduced significantly to allow the repair to take place, but unlike other repairs where the supply has to be completely shut off, this work was carried out with a minimal amount of water still flowing through the pipe. Supply disruptions were minimal, if any at all.”

Reddy said he is awaiting further feedback from Joburg Water on the outcome of its assessment before confirming when the road will be fully reopened and the site reinstated.

The teams of the water utility confirmed that the leak has been repaired and are busy monitoring the situation.

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