METRO MATTERS | Charlo water leak left unattended for more than a month

For more than a month, clean water has been streaming away in a Port Elizabeth suburb, with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality blasted for dragging its feet on fixing the leak.

Frustrated Charlo resident Diane Jolly said the water in Gregory Street had been gushing out since September 19.

This, she said, was evidence that the municipality was not serious about conserving the scarce resource.

This was especially concerning because the city had been battling a drought crisis that has gripped the Eastern Cape since 2015, while it also has a water leaks crisis — with millions of litres of clean water going down the drain.

Jolly said the leak in front of her home had been reported to the municipality numerous times — but no-one ever came out to fix it.

“This is fresh water that is leaking, and given the severe drought it is absurd that the leak has not been attended to. I just can’t believe the amount of water that is being wasted,” she said.

Jolly said her neighbour had also tried to assist in reporting the leak to the city — also to no avail.

“That is not acceptable while they say that the city is under serious drought,” she said.

She said she was concerned that the city would also slap her with a huge water bill because of the leak.

Some homeowners have complained that the city was guessing water meter readings, as their meters had not been read in months.

“Even the residents passing by always ask me when the municipality is coming to fix it. Our verge is even now growing grass because of the water leak,” she said.

“The municipality can’t preach to us that we must save water or there is no water when every day litres of clean water stream down the street.

“In my house we have been saving water, but it was just frustrating to see water being wasted after we are trying so hard to save our city from the drought,” she said.

The city has consistently warned of a looming day zero and imposed water restrictions on households as dam levels continue to dwindle.

The metro’s call to households is to keep water consumption to no more than 15Kl a month or 500l a day.

It also wants individual residents to use no more than 50l a day.

The water woes have also threatened businesses, with the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber accusing leaders at City Hall of stifling businesses by not creating a conducive environment.

After The Herald inquired about the leak on Friday, it was immediately fixed the next day.

City spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said the leak had been caused by fibre optic cable installers.

Ndamase said arrangements were made to repair it on Saturday, and on Sunday morning confirmed that the leak was fixed.

A happy Jolly confirmed the leak had finally been fixed.

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