RESIDENTS of Meyer Road in Escombe are at their wits’ end over a major water leak that has reportedly been flowing for more than two months despite repeatedly reporting the matter to the relevant municipal departments.

The leak, outside 28 Meyer Road, has resulted in the loss of a significant amount of water and caused extensive damage to the road surface, with potholes forming and worsening by the day.

One resident, who said he has repeatedly reported the matter, estimated that thousands of litres of water are being lost every minute.

“I estimate an average of about 2000 litres per minute are being lost. The leak is outside 28 Meyer Road, Escombe. It has now created potholes in the road. We are desperate for a solution because this is a valuable resource that is simply being wasted,” he said.

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Another resident, Clive Pillay, whose property is directly affected by the leak, said he has lost hope that the problem will be resolved anytime soon.

“The water started leaking about two months ago, and I have been reporting it ever since. Before that, I had problems with my water meter, which caused very low water pressure” he said.

After numerous phone calls and emails, Pillay said his son personally visited the municipal water department in Durban to enquire about the outstanding complaint.

“He was told that, according to the system, the matter had been resolved and closed because a new water meter had supposedly been installed,” said Pillay.

Residents said the delay in repairing the leak has unnecessarily wasted water while allowing the road conditions to deteriorate.

“The potholes are getting worse every day, making it difficult and dangerous for motorists to drive along the road. This situation could have been resolved long ago without all this unnecessary water loss and damage,” said the resident.

Pillay told the Highway Mail that Meyer Road is not the only area affected.

There are several leaks which remain unattended across Queensburgh. Queensburgh News has also been informed that repairs are being delayed because of a shortage of municipal plumbers.

Ward 63 councillor Chris van den Berg acknowledged the challenges facing the municipality and described the situation as critical.

“We are facing the same problem across the city. It is a drastic situation,. Without enough plumbers, eThekwini Municipality cannot repair the growing number of leaks. Until this issue is resolved, the backlog will continue to increase.”

According to Van den Berg, there are around 5000 outstanding leak repairs across the municipality.

Also read: Update: City responds to Pinetown pipe burst

“It is frustrating beyond words to watch clean water flowing down the road while many communities are experiencing water shortages. Water is a precious resource, and service delivery should come first. The City needs to find a solution, whether that means employing more plumbers or finding alternative ways to address the backlog.”

The Queensburgh News contacted the City for comment and submitted a series of questions, including what steps are being taken to address the shortage of plumbers, whether private contractors will be appointed to help reduce the backlog, how emergency leaks are prioritised, and what measures are being implemented to minimise water loss while repairs are pending.

The municipality’s marketing and communications director Mandla Nsele said, “The City can confirm that the water supply issue at Dorling Road has been resolved. This has been confirmed telephonically with the customer.

“The report for Meyer Road has been recaptured. The matter has been logged under a new reference for a burst pipe on the road. A plumber will be dispatched to attend to the repair.”

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