Major Bay water leaks stopped

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has plugged four major water leaks gushing out more than half a million litres of clean water a week –much to the delight of residents.

Little more than a week ago, streams of steadily flowing water from leaks in Chatty1060, Old Uitenhage Road behind Khayamnandi, Bhucu Street in Mandelaville, Uitenhage, and the old scout hall at St George’s Park, spewed out about 542 000 litres in a few days.

However, after an article in The Herald on Monday last week, the municipality has been hard at work fixing the burst pipes.

The water that was bubbling out of a water main in Chatty 1060, which contributed 175 500litres to the total figure, has evaporated into a distant memory after the municipality attendedto the problem last week.

“We are really happy the leak is fixed,” Chatty resident Devan Tobias, 27, said.

“Our only concern now is [that] the road can’t be used because of the water damage, but at least the source of the problem is fixed. I suppose the municipality can only handle one problem at a time.”

A stone’s throw away along Old Uitenhage Road behind Khayamnadi, several water leaks caused havoc in the new RDP development.

However, yesterday contractors were on site to stop the leak in which 117 000 litres was lost.

In Bhucu Street, Uitenhage, workers dug their way to the source of the water leak which contributed 156 000 litres.

Even the constantly flowing hosepipe at the abandoned scout hall in the St George’s Park precinct – now inhabited by vagrants – has been fixed.

The hose running from beneath one corner of the structure was running non-stop, wasting 93 600 litres.