A burst water pipe that caused weeks of disruption for a Weltevreden Park resident has been repaired, but concerns remain over the restoration of the driveway.

Cobus Faasen, a resident of Cockspur Road, says Johannesburg Water (JW) teams returned on Saturday, September 5, to complete work on the burst pipe at his property, but the site restoration is incomplete.

Driveway left in poor condition

He said the latest work has left him unhappy with how the driveway was reinstated. “When digging up our driveway they never kept the pavers, and when closing they just dumped our pavers, stones, etc into the hole,” he said.

The repair follows several visits to the property after the pipe first began leaking on August 8. He said teams initially attended to the leak and returned the following day to carry out repairs, but the new joint began leaking again, prompting further reports.

Faasen said water was restored by August 12, but the excavated area remained open, with heaps of sand scattered across the driveway and water from the pipe filling the section.

He said further teams attended later in August, including on August 24, when he alleges the pipe was damaged during backfilling. JW, however, disputes that the pipe was damaged during the backfilling.

Incorrect coupling caused leak

According to JW spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala, the existing 150mm pipe is made of asbestos cement, and the entire 6m section needed to be replaced with steel.

“The incorrect coupling was used, causing a leak at the connection point,” Shabalala said.

She said the difference between the outside diameter of the asbestos cement pipe and the inside diameter of the steel pipe requires a specific step coupling, which had been sourced before work commenced on September 5.

Faasen shared that the prolonged repairs also affected his household and work. “The days when we had no water, it’s obviously very difficult,” he said.

“You can’t really wash dishes. The animals need fresh water. You yourself need to have a bath and be able to clean yourself.”

He also raised concerns about damage to a fibre cable during the work. “I work from home. So I need my internet access,” he said, adding that he had to rely on mobile data when the connection was affected.

The utility also said excavations could not be backfilled while a leak remained and that its service-level agreement allows five days for excavated sand to dry before backfilling, depending on weather conditions.

The Roodepoort Northsider sent questions to JW regarding the repair of the driveway. The questions cover what work is still outstanding, whether a team will return to address the condition of the driveway, and how concerns regarding the paving stones – which were not retained during the excavation – will be addressed. Their response will be published once received.

As of September 8, Faasen said the pipe repair was complete, but the site restoration remained outstanding.