BURST pipes leaking for days on end should be something of the past with the launch of a new service dedicated to fixing pipes.
MMC for Water and Sanitation, Aubrey Nxumalo, today launched the First Level Rapid Response Unit (FLRRU) at the monthly council meeting in Germiston.
Speaking during the meeting, Nxumalo said the department procured six new bakkies that would be used for the rapid servicing and repairing of leaking or burst water pipes.
This is part of an effort to reduce water loss and damage caused to property due to long lead times to attend to water pipe bursts and major leaks.
“So far, six bakkies have been procured and branded and will be fitted with tools, a navigator, emergency lights and communication equipment. In the next financial year, we plan on procuring 20 more bakkies.”
For now, five areas have been identified as having the highest occurrence of water pipe bursts and leaks and these vehicles will be allocated there. The rest of the metro will have similar vehicles running in their areas by June 2015.
For now, only Tembisa, Benoni (2), Alberton, Germiston and Nigel will be allocated vehicles.
The bakkies are branded with the Ekurhuleni Metro logo so communities can easily identify them.
“It is the belief of management that this intervention will tremendously improve the turnaround time to deal with water interruptions that result in water losses.”
The FLRRU project will be in operation by the end of January 2015.
To report complaints, communities can call 086-054-3000.
