A leak that caused water to flow down Erich Street in Tileba has been traced to the theft and vandalism of municipal water infrastructure, according to the Tshwane metro.

The incident was reported after residents raised concerns about a significant amount of water being lost in the area, while the metro confirmed that the leak was not caused by a failed pump, as initially suspected.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the incident was linked directly to the theft and vandalism of municipal infrastructure.

The amount of water lost during the incident has not yet been determined. Mashigo said the metro’s Water Loss Section would assess the incident to quantify the extent of the water loss.

Resident Jacqui Grobler said the incident highlighted the importance of reporting suspicious activity around water infrastructure.

“If people see anyone tampering with municipal infrastructure, it must be reported immediately. Losing water because someone steals a valve affects the whole community,” she said,

The metro said this was the first recorded theft of a gate valve from its water infrastructure in the Tileba area.

The metro’s Customer Care Centre can be contacted on 012 358 9999 or 080 1111 556 to report water supply interruptions, burst pipes, leaking meters, blocked street sewers and suspected illegal water connections on 012 358 9060 or 012 345 8514.

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