City Power and Johannesburg Water to work together to solve Jan Smuts Avenue leak situation
The required water leak repairs on Jan Smuts must be carried out without damaging the electricity infrastructure, therefore City Power has agreed to co-ordinate with Johannesburg Water in their efforts to repair the leak.
Ward 90 councillor Renate van Onselen aims to put pressure on City Power and Johannesburg Water officials, in order to have the dangerous excavation on Jan Smuts Avenue repaired and backfilled.
The Rosebank Killarney Gazette first reported on the leak and broken pavement in October of last year.
Van Onselen, who was elected in November last year, visited the excavation for the first time on February 4. “I will continue to talk to City Power and Johannesburg Water officials, as the excavation is an urgent matter.”
Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said that, “at the intersection, where the pipe leak is suspected, there is a major electrical cable present, which prevents the Johannesburg Water team from conducting any repairs on the leak.”
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena reiterated that they were in ongoing engagements with Johannesburg Water to ensure that the required water leak repairs are carried out without compromising or damaging the electricity infrastructure.
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Last month, City Power confirmed that the entity would provide the necessary technical assistance and guidance to Johannesburg Water to ensure that the longstanding water leak was resolved safely and efficiently, while also safeguarding electricity infrastructure from potential damage.
Mangena added that it was important to note that a similar incident occurred during the 2014/15 period in Industria. “At that time, City Power was requested by Johannesburg Water to isolate the electricity supply to enable repairs. Unfortunately, during the repair process, City Power cables were damaged, resulting in an unplanned power interruption to customers.”
This incident highlights the critical need for increased caution, co-ordination, and infrastructure awareness when undertaking excavation and repair work in areas where services are closely located.
Mangena concluded that any work required from City Power, in support of the repairs, will be undertaken in alignment with the agreed co-ordination plan to minimise risk and avoid unnecessary service interruptions.
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