Julius Jeppe water leak blamed on old pipes
The metro says a 75mm asbestos pipe in the street has long surpassed its lifespan.
Residents of Julius Jeppe Street in Waterkloof have expressed their growing frustration over persistent water leaks, blamed on ageing asbestos pipes.
Despite the Tshwane metro’s efforts, many residents feel that its response to the water leaks has not been adequate.
Residents have stated their concerns about infrastructure maintenance in their communities, leading to an unreliable supply of water.
Image: Supplied
Ward 82 Councillor Siobhan Muller shared her frustrations over multiple leaks in the street.
Muller also blamed the leaks on unmaintained and ageing water infrastructure.
“I will fight for my residents to have the old pipes replaced,” she vowed.
According to metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, the cause of the leak is a 75mm asbestos pipe that has long surpassed its lifespan.
He said that this burst is not in the same spot as the previous one, which was repaired.
Mashigo added that they have received about six complaints from this street this year, and all were attended to immediately.
“Burst pipes are attended to immediately upon receipt of the service requests, and backfilling is also done immediately if there are no obstructions on the driveway.
Backfilling is done within two days if there are obstructions on the driveway. For the safety of motorists and pedestrians, all trenches are barricaded.”
To prevent further damage to the surrounding properties and infrastructure during the repair process, Mashigo said the team isolates the water supply immediately.
Image:Supplied
He added that when repairing the pipe, the team instals a full 6m pipe to avoid a reoccurrence.
Mashigo advised residents who suffer damages as a result of a pipe burst to file a claim by email to claims@tshwane.gov.za
“The city also provides support to the affected customers by dispatching water tankers if the repairs are prolonged,” he said.
According to Mashigo, municipal norms and standards state that all water leaks must be repaired within 48 hours.
He added that, however, severe weather conditions will always affect these timelines.
When asked about the age and condition of the water pipes in the area, Mashigo said that the asbestos pipe was installed many years ago and has long since surpassed its lifespan.
“The matter has been escalated to the city’s Water Services Technical Investigation and Design Management Unit for the upgrading of the pipe,” he said.
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