Salvokop pipeline repairs completed
4 March 2020
Contractors and engineers from the City of Tshwane’s Utility Services have completed the finalisation of repairs to the Salvokop burst pipe in the Fountains vicinity that left residents, consulates, institutions and businesses in various areas in and around Pretoria CBD without water.
Repairs were finished at 11h00 this morning and water was allowed back into the system from the Salvokop reservoir. The process of filling the water network will take time, given the fact that the pipeline had run completely dry. There’s an enormous necessity for engineers to be cautious when pumping water into the system in order to avoid any hiccups such as leakages and/or pipe bursts. This means that water will be gradually allowed into the grid.
The City’s engineers are monitoring the network and it is hoped that it will stabilise soon. Consumers in low-lying areas have been the first to receive water. This is due to network needing to build up enough pressure, which will lead to high-lying areas also receiving water in a standard way.
On the 27th February 2020, the City management had to hastily visit a gushing site after it was alerted by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) that a water pipe from Salvokop reservoir was spurting volumes of water. Upon arrival, the City’s officials established that the burst is at the same area as the 1000mm diameter pipe that was experienced in August 2019.
The damage has caused the municipality to shut-down the Salvokop reservoir in order to replace the damaged section of the huge pipe with a new one.
With the completion of the repair work and restoration of water on track comes an obligation for consumers to be prudent when using water. The City urges consumers not to water gardens, wash cars, fill swimming pools, etc until the flow of water has normalised. This will take approximately three days, assuming that there are no setbacks.
The following areas were affected by the water supply interruption:
- Sunnyside, Salvokop, Arcadia, Clydesdale as well as the south of the Pretoria CBD
- Health facilities (hospitals)
- Old-age homes
- National and provincial government departments
- Tertiary institutions and schools
- Embassies
- Hotels.
The City would like to apologise profusely about the unplanned interruption which obviously caused inconvenience. By the same token, convey appreciation to artisans and engineers who were involved with the repair of the Salvokop pipeline.
The City will continue to maintain the 100 water tankers that were dispatched to strategic points to supply water to consumers.
Customers are urged to follow @CityTshwane for updates on Twitter.
Issued by Group Communication, Marketing and Events Department.