THE Glenhills water pipe replacement project along Rinaldo Road has finally been completed after months of reported frustration from the community. The project, which started in June, was scheduled to be competed in two months, however a number of complications had delayed the project, said ward councillor, Heinz de Boer.

“The underground infrastructure, including the old water mains and electricity cables, weren’t always accurately mapped, which has led to several obstacles for the construction workers. As with most projects, there is a ‘snag’ list and certain complications. But the engineers have been working carefully and endlessly to have the project completed as soon as possible,” he said.

The project not only involved replacing the old asbestos pipes, which were constantly bursting, with new plastic piping, but also new valves and fire hydrants.

“Water loss is a serious concern, especially with the recent drought the country is experiencing. Rinaldo Road was one of the worst roads in terms of pipe bursts. The huge bursting pipes resulted in the loss of hundreds of litres of water, flooding the road and causing residents tremendous inconvenience. Currently the city experiences a 40 per cent water loss, which means for every million litres of water the city buys from the Umgeni Water, 400 000 litres are lost through burst pipes. This costs the ratepayers millions,” he said.

De Boer said he is in the process of motivating for pipes in other ‘troublesome’ roads to be similarly replaced. Some of these roads include Armstrong Avenue and Ronan Road in La Lucia.

“We are currently waiting for the Department of Water and Sanitation budget to be released. This will enable us to determine how much money can be spent fixing and replacing the broken pipes in the city. A budget of R350-million is on the cards,” he said.

The councillor urged residents in his ward to adopt a low tolerance for water loss and to use water sparingly whenever possible. “The engineers noted that the Glenhills community is very water-conscious.

“It is encouraging to see and I urge the rest of my ward to adopt the same attitude. Report bursts as soon as possible and waste as little water as possible. At the moment it is our most precious resource,” he said

According to De Boer, the contractors are now adding the finishing touches to the project and encouraged any residents with damaged verges or driveways or any other issues to contact him so that the contractors can be alerted. Contact De Boer on durbanward35@gmail.com.

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