Soweto residents frustrated with Joburg's delayed response to water woes

Soweto residents attending a water conservation outreach event have voiced their deep frustration with the City of Joburg's handling of their water-related concerns. They claim their complaints are not being dealt with fast enough.

The residents' complaints come as Rand Water's Water Wise initiative launches its "Drop-by-Drop" water conservation outreach in the area.

Community leader Sarah-Jane Chawuke spoke about the community’s desire for quicker action from the city.

"I'm getting calls from my community, speaking about burst pipes, and they just sent me the info now. And I told them, listen, I'm escalating the problem as we are sitting, so hopefully it will be fixed as soon as, you know? Because we had a situation whereby there's a family whose pipe burst on the 14th of December last year, and it only got fixed in about April this year."

WATER EXPERT WEIGHS IN

Water expert Jeff Baloyi said viable solutions to tackle the challenge of water loss in the City of Johannesburg have been identified.

He said implementing hydraulic models can help detect and pinpoint the exact locations of water leaks which will help the metro save water.

Baloyi added that this is just one method the metro can use to address the challenge of water loss.

“We look on what we can call hydraulic modelling where we look in terms of the non-revenue water. So, we are busy doing a lot of piloting around that space and looking in terms of the detection of these leaks and everything so that we have an advanced system which we can report into.

“So, then there are so many things which we find that in terms of the strategy and advice we then be able to give.”

Baloyi said they are working with Joburg Water to address the ongoing challenges in the province

“Joburg water has been looking also in terms of the reclamation of water. So, which is very important because that meaning now you are creating another alternative source of water which as me and you speak now, it does not exist.

“So Joburg water correct that meaning it also add into the amount of water which they are receiving within coming from the rainwater.”

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