But what if it happens again?
Random water pipe breaks are an ongoing problem on this Uvongo estate.
ANOTHER burst pipe on High Road in Uvongo has again wreaked havoc at Uvongo Garden Estate – this time, completely flooding Rui de Carvalho’s property.
In the last four years, the same pipe has burst at least three times causing serious damage to the complex; there is still an outstanding damages’ claim from the last pipe burst.
Mr de Carvalho explained that the issue lies with the excessive water draining into the ground for hours, seeping into the land causing a greater risk of high water pressure damage to structures and foundations in the surrounding area of the leakage.
“Instead of adopting a pre-emptive approach, Ugu District Municipality spends more money fixing the damage caused when a leakage occurs,” he said.
Ugu District Municipality has acknowledged that the problematic pipes warrant an urgent replacement.
Ugu spokesman, France Zama, said water services has reviewed the existing pipeline replacement strategy and pipes that break frequently will be prioritised and replaced promptly.
“The pipeline replacement programme that has seen aged infrastructure renewed will resume in the 2015/16 financial year,” he said.
Mr De Carvalho said that, although Ugu had been very helpful in sorting out his flooded unit, his worst fear was that they didn’t know when it would happen next.
“Do we have to wait for the pipe to burst again, for it to be replaced?” he asked.
