DURBAN – Pipes are bursting left, right and centre across Durban.
“Every single day there is a burst pipe,” ward councillor Remona McKenzie told The Independent on Saturday.
Areas highlighted include Musgrave, Asherville and Sydenham.
“At one stage, seven valves were turned off, leaving residents with no water for more than three days,” she said.
“Turn-around time for repairs to burst pipes is ridiculously slow, causing frustration and anger. There is no proper communication between departments; we need a better system that works for the residents.
McKenzie went on to say infrastructure was compromised and collapsing, because of a lack of maintenance and upgrading.
The city said, like any other city, it experiences water leaks.
“Once they have been reported, we certainly move with speed to attend to them,” said spokesman Msawakhe Mayisela, adding that the aforementioned areas were no exception. “We also have a responsibility to ensure that we minimise water losses, because the city is paying a fortune for purified water monthly.
“We appeal to our residents to continue to report any leaks they come across, because we can’t be monitoring each and every area.
“We commend all our residents who have made it a habit to report these water leaks, even if they do not affect them directly. This is good citizenship that must be encouraged at all times,” Mayisela added.
The Independent on Saturday