The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Department is conducting emergency repair work on a leaking water main in Philippi on Tuesday that has left some of the surrounding areas of the southern suburbs without water.
The city is currently attending to a leak on its bulk water main in Philippi. This has required the shutting of the 1,2 m diameter water main which feeds the reticulation network for a large area stretching from Philippi, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Ottery, Retreat and Pelican Park up to Wynberg, Plumstead and Southfield, the City said in a statement.
“In the interim, the water supply is being rerouted via the Wynberg bulk water mains as far as possible, but some areas are still without water,” City Water and Sanitation Management Department spokesperson Farouk Robertson said.
“Our repair teams have worked throughout the night and, earlier this morning, managed to remove the leaking valve for maintenance.
A new valve will be inserted this morning and the bulk water main will be recharged,” Robertson said.
This is a slow process due to the immense water pressure in the pipeline, he added.
Once filled, the valves to the remainder of the reticulation network will be opened and the water supply to the affected areas will be normalised.
The City has appealed to residents to ensure that their taps are closed during this period to avoid water waste and/or damage when the water supply is restored. They then need to open their taps slowly when wanting to use water.
“The City apologises for the inconvenience and thanks our residents for their patience during this period. It is imperative that we ensure our water infrastructure is maintained to supply good quality drinking water to citizens at all times,” Robertson said.