Wonderboompoort waterfall on its way back

Work on restoring the Wonderboom waterfall has made huge progress and Xander Loubser says residents can expect the water to flow in the near future.

For three years Loubser and his team were interrupted by Covid regulations and financial reasons but their end goal is finally within sight.

The project started in 2020 when Xander Loubser felt that something was missing when he was driving through this area of Pretoria.

“The waterfall was always there when I was a child and I remember driving by it but only really noticed it when it disappeared completely.

“It just felt empty without it there so I decided to get a team together to see what we can do.”

Perched on top of the Magaliesberg, the waterfall was a landmark for many Pretoria residents and its absence has been felt.

Loubser asked around and soon found out that the waterfall had disappeared as a result of lack of maintenance and vandalism over the years.

Water supply to the waterfall was stopped in 2018 after strict water restrictions were put in place during a drought.

The team started brainstorming in 2020 on how they could restore the iconic waterfall.

“Measurements were taken to see what materials like pipes and wiring will be required to fix it.

“We concluded that a new pump will definitely have to be installed, as well as a new storage dam for the water to be recycled,” he explained.

One of the biggest challenges the group is facing is safety.

The pipes and pump had to be replaced.

“They were no longer in a working condition and we had to purchase new ones out of our own pockets.”

Loubser and his team will not be using municipal water but instead water for the waterfall will be supplied by a borehole, which they have drilled after getting permission from the municipality.

The team’s plans were interrupted by the pandemic numerous times but were able to recover and continue every time.

They also had to halt the project for financial reasons on a few occasions.

Loubser explained that a substantial amount of money was also used for the annual Christmas community project they held in some of the suburbs in the Moot.

During the project, community members rallied together and drove around the suburbs.

Other community members dressed up as Father Christmas and handed out kiddies packs with the assistance of children who dressed up as elves.

Loubser said he wouldn’t allow the waterfall project to interrupt the Christmas project as it has become a tradition.

The team installed a substation to deliver power to the water pumps.

The power box had to be redone completely which according to Loubser cost more than R100 000.

The pump had to be moved to a different location for security reasons which further delayed the team.

“We received a lot of help from local businesses that want to see the waterfall back.

“It’s a major undertaking and a lot of work. None of this would have been possible without their help.”

However the majority of the funds were privately sourced.

Due to load-shedding, Loubser wants to install solar panels to ensure water flow is not interrupted.

However he has been told that solar panels could negatively affect the local ecosystem.

Loubser said he has created a fund to ensure the waterfall is maintained and does not fall into ruin.

SECURITY IS ALSO A PRIORITY FOR THE TEAM

They have installed CCTV cameras and beams around the pump room and substation.

Concrete barricades were also installed to keep the substation safe.

All that’s left for the team to do is test the pump and ensure there are no leakages on the pipe.

“Our main goal is to have the waterfall be safe and sustainable in the long run,” Loubser concluded.

He said residents can expect the waterfall to be up and functioning within the next month.

The initiative has been positively received by the residents of Pretoria, many of whom miss the waterfall.

Ward councillor Mari Joubert said it is a good initiative and is impressed that Loubser and his team never gave up when the project faced its many setbacks.

The waterfall is a heritage site which also played a role in Loubser’s decision to restore it.

Gerhard Stroop of water and sanitation said he is pleased with how the plan has progressed and is excited to see their hard work paying off.

Loubser said he hopes the waterfall will bring back memories to those who remember seeing it during their daily commutes.

Also read: Attempted murder accused dies in Mamelodi police holding cells

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