A fire hydrant that had been leaking for months inside the Ruimsig Athletics Stadium has finally been fixed, even though the exact date of the repairs is unknown. The water from the leak formed a dam-like puddle on the grass nearby.

The hydrant was first reported in July, after residents and parkrunners who use the stadium on Saturdays complained about the persistent leak despite Johannesburg Water’s (JW) several attempts to repair it.

Also read: Leaking fire hydrant questions remain unanswered

Water had been seeping from the hose outlets into the ground, leaving damp trails and pooling in the area, creating both a water waste issue and concerns over what would happen if a fire were to break out and the hydrant couldn’t be used to put it out.

One of the concerned residents, Robert Watchorn, said the leak had persisted for months and that previous attempts to close the valves themselves were unsuccessful. He also expressed that he is happy that water isn’t being wasted anymore. The hydrant’s repeated failures raised broader questions about the durability of past repairs and the state of local water infrastructure.

At the time of the original report last year, JW had not responded to enquiries about the number of repairs or long-term solutions. While it has been repaired, there is still no communication from JW. The residents hope the issue is fully resolved and that similar infrastructure problems in the area will be addressed on time in the future.