Petition for case study on groundwater in Sundowner, Randpark Ridge and surrounds
Potholes and sinkholes in Ward 134 are often caused by groundwater and this needs a case study, ward councillor says.
Ward 134 councillor Devon Steenkamp is asking residents to sign a petition requesting the city to conduct a case study on groundwater in the ward.
Several roads and driveways have been damaged by water seeping up through the ground in the last few years, and Sundowner appears to be the worst-hit suburb.
Enormous potholes form and fill up with dank water infested by algae and sinkholes have even formed in some places – the ground literally moving when any weight is placed on it.
Also read: About 20 roads are a mess in Sundowner
“Recently, the situation of groundwater rising and causing havoc for property owners as well as road infrastructure has got worse,” Steenkamp said. “Joburg Roads Agency has made minor attempts in the past but it is not solving the issue of diverting the water away from infrastructure.”
He said many site visits have been held by the agency and the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department but these have not yet led to permanent solutions. It is only in the case of Wilgeboom Avenue, Boskruin – and this is just outside the ward – that the roads agency told this publication in May that the road would be redesigned to fix the groundwater issue and the sinkhole that developed as a result.
“Some of the affected streets in Ward 134 are Taurus Road, Apiesdoring Street, Scorpio Avenue, Olievenhout Avenue, Bouvet Avenue, Cycad Street and Waboom Street.
“We are demanding a full case study on the ground water issues impacting Ward 134 and solutions and budget to upgrade and channel ground water correctly.”
This petition will be taken to the City Petition Unit after Steenkamp holds a few in-person meetings with the public. Until then, residents can sign and share the petition link on social media and other online forums.
The petition
“I believe rebuilding the Sundowner Dam will partially solve the problem. I also created a petition speaking on the ground water issues,” Steenkamp added.
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