Water woes continue to plague Claremont residents
Fed-Up community demands a solution to the three-year water crisis however, the Hurst Hill Reservoir is in dire need of upgrades.
For nearly three years, residents of Ward 84 in Claremont have been grappling with an inconsistent water supply, leaving them frustrated and desperate for a permanent solution.
According to a concerned resident, Felicity Sweetman, the water woes have become a daily nightmare.
“Our taps run dry during the day, and we only get low water pressure for about an hour, usually between midnight and 01:00,” she explained.
“Some wake up at 02:00 only to find there is no water,” she said.
“Those who are fortunate enough use their cars to collect water from neighbouring areas or from relatives and friends who have water.”
Sweetman says affected streets in Claremont include Antoinette, Rose, Amatola, Lundean Crescent, and parts of William and Murchison streets, as well as certain sections of Westbury and Coronationville.
While not all residents in the ward are affected, many have been forced to resort to alternative measures to access this basic necessity.
The lack of reliable water supply has also taken a significant toll on the community, particularly families with young children.
“This has caused havoc in our daily lives, compromising our dignity and privacy,” Sweetman lamented.
To cope, residents have been relying on water tanks and supporting one another, with those who have a steady water supply helping others.
According to Sweetman, Johannesburg Water (JW) has been engaged, but she claims that their efforts have been met with empty promises and a never-ending cycle of new call references.
She said when water trucks do arrive, they don’t cover the whole suburb, and it is difficult for the elderly to carry water.
“The only engagement we’ve had from JW is that there’s a problem with the Hurst Hill Reservoir or that it is too small to provide for everyone,” adds Sweetman.
“In these past three years, the ward councillor has never briefed us or even stakeholders from JW.”
When asked about the persistent water shortages at Claremont, JW spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala says the City’s water infrastructure is ageing and in dire need of upgrades.
“The demand for water in Johannesburg has been increasing due to population growth and urbanisation. The existing infrastructure may not be sufficient to meet this increased demand. Moreover, the City’s water infrastructure is ageing and in dire need of upgrades. This has led to frequent breakdowns and water losses,” says Shabalala.
Shabalala adds that delays in the renewal of the infrastructure have been exacerbated by underfunding in the entity.
“The Hurst Hill Reservoir is currently on bypass mode because the reservoir is leaking. It is one of 42 reservoirs that JW identified as leaking and in need of repairs.
“Condition assessments on Hurst Hill 1 and 2 reservoirs have been carried out, and there are plans for rehabilitation of the reservoirs to regain their storage capacity in the pipeline.
”Additionally, once phase one of the New Brixton Reservoir, tower and pump station project is completed, the second phase will be the upgrading of the existing Crosby Pump Station, including a new rising main from the Crosby Pump Station to the inlet of the Hurst Hill Reservoirs to augment and boost supply, as well as the upgrading of the supply line from the Commando Meter to the Hurst Hill and Crosby reservoirs.
“All this work is aimed at resolving the water issues being experienced in the areas supplied by the Hurst Hill reservoirs, which includes Claremont,” says Shabalala.
