In a bid to curb high levels of water loss through leakages, the uThukela District Municipality Mayor, Councillor Inkosi NB Shabalala, visited Ezakheni with his team on a fact-finding mission to inspect water leakages in order to devise ways and means to eradicate these leaks which have a negative effect on the community of Ezakheni.
There was a massive burst pipe at Ezakheni Section C which the team went to inspect. Mayor Shabalala was worried that huge amounts of water are being lost and something urgent needs to be done in order to save more water. He said his office identified the issue of water leaks as an urgent priority. “We need to develop a system to monitor the progress of fixing leaks as well as the turnaround time to respond. It is not acceptable to see that we are losing so much water like this yet our people are complaining about water shortages in their households,” the Mayor said.
Digging equipment will be deployed in the area to assist plumbers to conduct necessary repairs. Current water losses are at an unacceptable level and in most cases they lead to interruptions in water supply. Ageing and damaged infrastructure also contribute enormously to this predicament. “It is often said that the next world war will be fought over water and not land or cultural domination and uThukela District Municipality has experienced some water shortages over the past few years, compounded by severe drought.”
The next stop was at a bricks and blocks manufacturing site where it was reported that the business was using large quantities of water to conduct its operations, without paying. The Mayor informed them that they were checking why people don’t get enough water in Ezakheni, and that’s when they heard that some people use it to do other things. The owner was then informed that according to the law, all people who are in business and using water must pay for it.
He was advised to register at uThukela District so that the business is billed accordingly. Failure to comply will lead to immediate water cuts. The owner seemed to understand and then he also complained about water that has been leaking for more than 20 years. He was promised that this will be taken care of soon.
“I would like to plead with our community to work with us in protecting water infrastructure. With regards to sewer blockages, we would like to remind the community to refrain from depositing foreign objects into our sewer system as this results not just in unpleasant stench but it also impacts hugely in their health when blockages occur. This practice of dumping foreign objects causes damage to municipal infrastructure”, said Mayor Shabalala.
He said that a large number of sewer blockage complaints the team attends to are caused by the design of the system itself and foreign objects in the system. “Foreign objects find their way into the sewer line and subsequently block stormwater ingress into the sewer line, encroachment over sewer servitudes, and improper ways of disposing of waste. Our staff members must be flexible to be deployed in areas of concern as we all are working to achieve a common goal of making a difference in the community we serve,” the Mayor concluded.
To reduce sewer blockages, residents are requested to refrain from doing the following:
- • flushing foreign material in the toilet;
- • dumping waste in the manholes;
- • blocking the sewer pipes.
To report water and sewer-related queries at all times, call the Customer Care line on 086-010-4257.
