Clogged stormwater drains lead to flooded roads
With the start of the rainy season, residents are calling for urgent action to address blocked drains before the situation worsens.
A resident and a ward councillor in the north of Pretoria have both raised concerns over clogged stormwater drains unable to channel water effectively, leaving roads flooded during the rainy season.
Ward 2 councillor Quentin Meyer said blocked stormwater drains remain a problem in his ward, while resident Sandra Moss voiced her frustration over severe flooding during recent months.
The drainage system, which is meant to divert rainwater, has become clogged with debris, leading to streets inundated with water after heavy rains. It has been pointed out that the issue is due to the irregular maintenance of the stormwater system.
The blocked drains also create hazardous conditions on the roads, turning streets into virtual rivers during thunderstorms.
Moss describes how they tried to navigate flooded streets, with water sometimes reaching worrying levels on various routes.
She alleged that such lack of maintenance had become a worry for motorists as it had the potential to cause damage to cars, and or lives.
“Every time there’s a downpour, we fear the worst because these stormwater drains are clogged.
“It’s difficult to drive on Rachel de Beer Street towards Wonderboom because water builds up at the street under the bridge,” she said.
Despite these challenges, residents feel their pleas for action have fallen on deaf ears.
“Pretoria North is being neglected when it comes to service delivery, with blocked drains only being one of many infrastructure issues that have gone unresolved.”
Meyer said, “There’s a huge blocked stormwater drain in Daan de Wet Nel Road and the situation is bad because if nothing is being done ahead of the rainy season, our people are going to be in a lot of trouble.”
He said patience was wearing thin among residents, who worry that more storms will bring flooding in parts of Ward 2.
As the rainy season starts, residents are calling for urgent action to address the blocked drains before the situation worsens.
“We need real solutions, and we need them now. This is a service delivery issue that’s impacting our daily lives.”
The metro did not comment by the time of going to print.
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