WILDERNESS NEWS - Residents of Wilderness East had a challenging weekend due to a breakage in a main water pipeline. The area includes Wilderness National Park and properties starting from Kingfisher Close, up to (but excluding) Kleinkrantz.
Problems arose last week Saturday and stretched throughout the weekend, with municipal teams working non-stop to get the pipe in working condition. Water trucks were deployed in the area and one truck was stationed at The Waves garage.
Late Sunday night the repair work finally proved successful and the water supply was restored.
George Mayor Leon van Wyk released a message on Sunday evening to explain to residents exactly what the municipality is dealing with.
He said the pipeline is old and needs replacing as funds become available. The cost of such a replacement amounts to roughly R15-million for a 5km distance. "Because of the age [of the pipes] and new types of pipe presently being used there are no ready made fittings to deal with joints. This means couplings are quickly custom-made to deal with the specific fault. It all takes time," said Van Wyk.
"There is a continuous risk when re-filling the line with water that the added water pressure then finds another weak spot creating another burst. Patience is unfortunately needed to get the fix sorted out. Our teams are trying their best. Thanks for understanding."
Chris Burlock of the Wilderness Ratepayers and Residents Association said there was a build-up in residents' frustrations as the work continued through the weekend, but when the last repair proved successful, the WhatsApps immediately changed from negative to positive with thanks to the repair team for the long hours worked.
"I feel very sorry for a guest house owner who said, 'What am I going to tell my guests?' Obviously those people running B&Bs and guesthouses were the worst affected," he said.
"But one can use rainwater and become more self-dependent. If you are upset about Eskom's service, fit solar. If you are upset about the rubbish in your street, pick it up. All municipalities in South Africa are going to be more under strain, budget wise, and we as residents have to do more for ourselves."
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