A Parkwood resident has been living with a leaking water meter for more than two years.
Les Geyling, who has been living in the suburb for many years, said he is frustrated by the lack of service delivery by Johannesburg Water and he has given up trying to get their attention. “I’ve been calling for two years,” said Greyling.
“I’ve given up phoning because you end up sitting on the phone for 40 minutes and nothing happens, it’s costing me money.”
The homeowner said that two months ago his doorbell rang and he found a Joburg Water truck at his doorstep. Two employees had come to alert him of a leak in his pavement. Greyling said he informed the two employees that he had reported the leak already, but was yet to receive assistance. The men promised to attend to it later that day, but he has not seen them since.
Eleanor Mavimbela, spokesperson for Johannesburg Water, said the depot was not aware of the problem until it was reported on 11 June by the water and sanitation utility and that the water meter had been replaced.
Advising on the process and steps residents should take when facing a leak, Mavibela said it is important for customers when logging a call to request a reference number and keep it safe for future follow-up calls. “When a call is logged, a reference number is issued. The responsible depot is then alerted, a job card is created and they attend to it.
“Turnaround time for a leaking meter is three days, but if a leak is a major leak we prioritise it.”
The spokesperson went on to say that the department only knows about leaks once they are reported. “If residents do not log the calls, there is no way of detecting where the leaks are.”
