Ongoing water leak frustrates Moreletapark residents

Residents of Meadow Glen Estate in Moreletapark, east of Pretoria, have expressed frustration over an unresolved water leak on Hluhluwe Street.

The leak was first reported on March 11 and continues to draw out water on April 25, over a month later.

The residents said the leak has resulted in continued water wastage, while the municipality on Level 1 water restrictions continues to urge residents to use water sparingly.

They also blamed overtime cuts for the delay in attending to the leak.

Deidre van Helsdingen, a concerned resident, said it has been over a month the leak was reported to the metro.

“Leak repair work in Moreletapark is pathetic, they are not doing anything and thousands of litres are going to waste.”

She said in early March, the Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, hosted a mayoral Imbizo with a lot of promises but no action followed.

Despite the municipality making assurances that the leak is on its priority list, residents are growing impatient.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said there is a significant leak repair backlog.

“The regional maintenance team has a backlog of 1,100 water leaks, thus causing delays to our response time. However, the team will attend to the leak,” Mashigo said.

He said that an on-site assessment will be conducted to determine the extent of the leak and plan for repairs.

“The leak has been prioritised, and the expected to be repaired if all goes well and weather permits,” he said.

“The city endeavours to attend to all water leaks on time however, due to the high volume of complaints received daily, priority is given to major water leaks to prevent significant water losses.”

Mashigo assured residents that the new overtime management policy is not intended to hamper service delivery.

In a separate incident, Afriforum Pretoria South coordinator Arno Roodt has asked city manager Johan Mettler to prioritise the leak on Rossouw Street.

In a letter Roodt wrote that,“ a significant water leak on Rossouw Street has been ongoing for several weeks, yet it is pertinently clear that the City of Tshwane has not taken any definitive action to resolve the matter despite numerous calls to act from the community”.

“Where the City did in fact intervene, it did so with lacklustre efforts, leaving the road in a horrid condition, and only for the pipe to again start leaking shortly thereafter.”

Roodt explained that this persistent leak is not only a blatant waste of a critical resource but also at a time the city is enforcing Level 1 water restrictions, placing the burden of water conservation on law-abiding residents.

“It is both unfair and unacceptable that the City’s own inaction contradicts the very measures it imposes on its citizens. The continued flow of water from the leak has further damaged the road surface previously left unrepaired by the City, which will require even more significant reparations once the leak is addressed.”

Roodt urged the city to plan accordingly and not delay road repair any further once the water infrastructure has been fixed.

“In light of the above, AfriForum hereby demands that this leak and adjoining road infrastructure be fully repaired within two (2) working days from the date of this letter (April 24),” he wrote.

Roodt threatened that should the metro fail to act within this reasonable timeframe, Afriforum will explore alternative remedies, as the ongoing water wastage and road degradation are no longer tolerable.

“We bring this issue to your attention, not only to promote our members’ interests, but also to put out a hand of cooperation to the City to the benefit of all its residents. We trust that this matter will be treated with the urgency and seriousness it demands.”

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