After a notable period of dryness at The Wilds’ ponds, water is finally back
HOUGHTON – Recent visitors have appreciated this development which adds more beauty to the park.
Visitors to The Wilds expressed their appreciation for the ponds that are now back in action at the nature reserve in Houghton. Although James Delaney said they were not quite finished with the work, he added that there were two pumps in the main system.
“The first is under the carpark, and it pumps water from the underground river into the lower ponds. It’s an ingenious system developed by Friends of The Wilds – using crystal clear water that Gautrain has pumped out of their tunnels and discarded. It’s diverted by the pump from the underground stream, and overflow from the ponds goes back into the stream at the end,” Delaney explained.
He added that the pump burnt out during lockdown last year. “iTOO insurers generously offered to buy a new pump, and ALW Properties have installed it as a community service.”
Delaney said the second pump, which isn’t switched on yet, is in the pump house on Giraffe Lawn, and that pumps the water up the hill, from where its gravity feeds down the hillside of The Wilds. “Lots of pretty waterfalls really transform the park, as they block out the road noise. This is a City Parks pump.”
Manager of The Wilds from City Parks, Sandra Viljoen said she followed up with the company that donated the submersible on the repairs/ replacement of the pump. “The team from our facility management department maintains these water features and pumps. They are monitoring the level of the big pond and will switch on once it is full.”
Delaney said at the moment the lower ponds are almost full, and then the second pump can be switched on to pump water up the hill to complete the system.
He also shared that LASquare Landscape and Aquatic Architecture also helped by researching a very helpful analysis of the water features of The Wilds.
Some interesting stats of this water system are:
- Total water surface in pools: ± 1 200m²
- Total system surface area: ± 1400m²
- Total water volume in pools: ± 700 000 litres
- Change in elevation: ±48m
- Combined length of the cascading stream: ±170m
- Water rotation in the system (when in operation): ± 18 hours
- Evaporation: 5 000 to 35 000 litres /day – depending on weather conditions
- Rainwater collection: ± 800 000 litres/year.
Follow us on Twitter @RK_Gazette for community updates.
Related articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/269646/young-and-old-explore-the-wilds/
https://www.citizen.co.za/rosebank-killarney-gazette/189714/children-save-the-wilds-nature-reserve/
