DESPITE reports that the municipality has begun paying plumbers, unresolved water leaks continue to plague Ward 35, leaving residents frustrated and fed up with ongoing water losses.

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Ward councillor Bradley Singh said the situation remains dire, with “about 20 leaks currently unresolved across the ward.” He said several streets have been hit repeatedly, and many residents are tired of watching clean drinking water pour into drains for days at a time.

Singh said residents are angry because they understand the cost of wasted water in a city already battling supply issues.

“Seeing clean drinking water flow straight into the drain frustrates residents because they know someone has to pay for that waste,” he said.

He added that burst pipes and broken meters have become a daily occurrence.

“One of the biggest complaints is the number of burst pipes and meters. The City also has a shortage of meters, which adds to the delays,” he said.

Although the City has publicly stated that plumbers have been paid, Singh maintains this has not translated into improved service on the ground. “The reason leaks aren’t fixed for days is simple: there’s a massive shortage of plumbers,” he said.

“The City doesn’t have enough in-house staff or outside contractors to keep up.”

Singh said he and community representatives recently met with senior municipal management to raise urgent concerns.

“We stressed the critical importance of repairing leaks. We urged them to resolve their internal staffing issues urgently to prevent water loss,” he said.

He said he also made it clear that reservoirs in Ward 35 must remain adequately filled to avoid prolonged water outages.

“This is essential to prevent service issues and ensure residents are not left without water for extended periods,” Singh added.

Glenashley resident and avid runner and cyclist, Clint Jones, spends hours on the roads each week and says he has seen the deterioration of Ridge Road first-hand. A leak near the entrance of his home has been repaired 11 times, yet continues to burst.

“The road looks like a jigsaw puzzle from all the digging,” he said.

Jones believes the City needs stricter accountability for contractors.

“There should be a proper tracking system showing who the contractor was for each job,” he said.

“If the job wasn’t done properly, they should come back and fix it without charging the City again. Ratepayers and taxpayers’ money is going to waste. It’s a joke.”

Singh said he will continue pressuring the City to prioritise repairs. “Residents deserve better,” he said.

The City did not comment at the time of print.

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