Where is my water?

Burst water pipes across town have a severe effect on residents, businesses and municipal departments.

The Krugersdorp News spoke to ward councillor Mark Trump about these pipe bursts. According to Trump, most of the pipes across Krugersdorp are made out of asbestos and were laid between the 1950s and 1970s. With time these pipes became prone to burst.

Over the last few years, pipes bursting have left parts of the community without water for long periods.

• Also read: Parts of town waterless since Sunday

On April 14, another pipe burst in Third Street, leaving residents frustrated and without water. Koen Groenewald, a resident who has a burst pipe on his sidewalk, claims that the water flowing beneath his driveway has damaged the foundation and created sinkholes, making it unsafe to walk or drive on. He also states that this is not the first time a pipe has burst on Third Street.

Another area where pipes commonly burst in Krugersdorp North is Onderste Street. According to Freddy Rabie, another resident, a pipe burst on his sidewalk and says that workers did arrive to fix the issue, but had to leave because they did not bring any tools or pipes.

A big issue is that residents and businesses in the CBD also battle with no water and this includes the courthouse. The court has not had water since April 13 and has to rely on JoJo tanks.

“The water in the tanks lasts about three hours a day and causes court hearings to be postponed due to the lack of water,” Trump said. Currently, the police station also does not have any water.

Mogale City Local Municipality was asked by the News why these pipes keep bursting, and how long would it take for the problem to be resolved. They have yet to respond.