Residents finally have water again, but problem not solved

SECUNDA – Some areas of Secunda were without water from 18 to 22 July.

This was after a water pipe in the field near the Ridge Plaza (Palms) and next to Nelson Mandela Drive had burst.

Municipal workers only discovered the cause of the water interruptions on the Friday morning after Ms Mariaan Chamberlain, DA councillor, alerted them to the issue.

According to Ms Chamberlain, a resident who walks around the Duck Pond daily, told her that the water levels raised and that he saw water flowing into the pond.

Ms Chamberlain urged municipal workers to begin looking for the problem near the Duck Pond.

They found the burst water pipe in the open field next to Nelson Mandela Drive on Friday morning.

The workers then saw a beehive near the pipes and had to contact Mr Louis Trichardt, a beekeeper, to remove the hive.

Ms Chamberlain helped Mr Trichardt and kept residents informed of the progress. The beehive was eventually removed by Friday afternoon.

Municipal workers then worked on water pipes that were damaged four weeks ago by a contractor allegedly employed by a cell phone provider.

According to Ms Chamberlain, the contractor was digging in the ground at the Sasol Recreation Club to lay new fiber cables for internet networks when he damaged the pipes.

Municipal workers said on Friday afternoon the water pipe burst in Nelson Mandela Drive was a big problem and they would first try to open the ring feed at the Sasol Recreation Club to try to provide water for everyone.

They managed to fix the water leak and the only areas left without water by Friday afternoon were the area around Generaal de Wet Street and around Laerskool Goedehoop.

Municipal workers began digging in Nelson Mandela Drive on Saturday morning and eventually found the burst water pipe.

They dug a ditch across Nelson Mandela Drive and motorists had to use alternative routes on Sunday and most of the day on 23 July.

The municipal workers had the equipment and parts to fix the burst water pipe, but while they were digging, they discovered an even bigger problem.

The storm water pipe was not connected and the municipality currently does not have the parts or equipment to fix it.

Municipal workers thus filled the ditch across Nelson Mandela Drive with ground while they are waiting for the parts.

Ms Chamberlain said the fact that the storm water pipe was never connected, was the reason why the water never surfaced when the pipe burst and why the water was flowing into the Duck Pond.

She said the storm water pipes fall under a different department of the municipality, namely the Department of Roads and Transport, and not under the Department of Water and Sanitation.

https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/119987/watch-burst-water-pipe-secunda-can-repaired-mr-louis-trichardt-removed-bees/