Residents of Malvern, Bezuidenhout Valley and nearby suburbs in eastern Johannesburg have faced at least ten precautionary water-quality warnings and updates since December, with some homes left without running water for up to two weeks, Daily Maverick reports.
Johannesburg Water issued six updates for Malvern, Jeppestown and Cleveland between 11 and 19 October before declaring the water safe on 20 October. Water in Bezuidenhout Valley had not yet been cleared.
Two ward councillors blame poorly supervised contractors who, they say, damage drinking-water pipes while repairing sewers, leading to shutdowns even when contamination is not later confirmed. Councillor Carlos da Rochas welcomed the city's programme to replace old, cracked pipes but said the work was not being checked. The incidents have added costs for repairs, laboratory tests and emergency water tankers.
Source: Daily Maverick
Photo: View from Federated Place, Hillbrow, Johannesburg (1980) – panoramio by qwesy qwesy, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative image of Johannesburg.
