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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Sol Plaatje staged a picket outside Kimberley Water Works today, as we sharpen our campaign against water leaks that are costing the city over 23 million cubic meters of water and close to R70 million a year in lost drinking water.

It is a pity that we have to mark the end of National Water Week trying to educate local government , as opposed to the public, about their responsibility to conserve water.

While the DA submitted a comprehensive complaint to the Office of the Public Protector earlier this year, detailing almost 50 water leaks, new leaks and pipe bursts continue to spring up all the time.

In January we experienced a leak in Carters Close in Rhodesdene which was reported to Sol Plaatje three weeks before it deteriorated into a pipe burst. The burst was allowed to gush water for three days before receiving attention. The failure to timeously repair the leak resulted in thousands of litres of drinking water going down the drain. Despite attempted repair work, the leak continues to this day.

The water leaks are contributing to the erosion of municipal roads, leaving the municipality at risk of claims for damages from motorists. Pools of stagnant water that form as a result, create a breeding ground for algae and mosquitoes. Some pools, like the one on the corner of Swanns and Petrus Streets, have been there for years despite being reported.

The DA will push for answers to establish the current turn-around time to respond to water leaks and burst pipes. We will also request control centre reporting sheets, so that we can actively track how leaks and bursts are being managed from start to finish.

No town or city should be losing the majority of its drinking water to water leaks, which demand real-time repair and preventative maintenance, in order to safeguard the scarce resource of water.

Issued by Sol Plaatje Municipality, Cllr Chris Whittaker