Heading: City’s Directorate Outlines Impending Water and Sanitation Upgrades

3 mins read
water supply maintenance Cape Town

The Water and Sanitation Directorate in the city is planning maintenance work in different areas to improve the water supply system. The maintenance work involves replacing faulty isolation valves, and residents are advised to make appropriate arrangements ahead of time. The maintenance schedule covers Claremont, Newlands, Rondebosch, and their surrounding areas, with specific times allocated for each. The Directorate has offered guidance to residents on how to prepare for the scheduled disruptions and has assured them that the disruption times have been carefully selected to minimize inconvenience.

Heading: City’s Directorate Outlines Impending Water and Sanitation Upgrades

The city’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is set to embark on significant maintenance activities across selected localities, bringing about improvements in the water supply system. The maintenance work involves the replacement of faulty isolation valves, which will inevitably influence the water supply system. The Directorate has urged residents to pay attention to the planned work and make appropriate arrangements in advance.

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Subheading: Upcoming Maintenance Tasks Set to Improve Water Supply

The city’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has unveiled plans to embark on significant maintenance activities across selected localities. These activities are expected to bring about significant improvements in the water supply system. The Directorate has taken the initiative to inform residents about the imminent disruptions and urges everyone affected to pay attention to the planned work and make appropriate arrangements in advance.

The maintenance work involves the replacement of faulty isolation valves. This operation will inevitably influence the water supply system. Claremont, precisely at Hartfield Road between Main Road and Worchester Road, is one of the first areas that will be affected. The operation will start at 9 am and should wrap up by 6 pm on Tuesday, 19 December 2023.

Subheading: Maintenance Schedule and Affected Areas

The maintenance itinerary continues with Claremont/Newlands, the stretch between Main Road, Albion Road, Rosendale Road and Rouwkop Road, inclusive of St Andrews Road and the proximate localities. The work in these areas will happen from 9 am to 6 pm on Wednesday, 20 December 2023.

The maintenance crew will then proceed to Rondebosch to work on Milner Road, which lies between Avenue De Mist and Kromboom Road, along with the nearby vicinities. The work schedule for this area runs from 9 am to 7 pm on Thursday, 21 December 2023.

The Directorate has assured residents that the disruption times have been carefully selected to minimize inconvenience. They have also pointed out that all areas undergoing water and sanitation upgrades are active construction sites and, therefore, out of bounds for the general public.

Subheading: Possibility of Extended Disruptions and Post-Maintenance Conditions

However, it’s essential to note that the intricacy of the maintenance operations could surpass initial estimates, potentially leading to extended service disruptions than initially predicted.

Once the maintenance work is completed, residents might notice a cloudy or milky appearance to their water. This change in appearance is due to air getting trapped in the pipes and is a temporary issue. The water will regain its clear, normal appearance after standing in a glass for a short period.

Subheading: Preparing for the Scheduled Disruptions

In light of the impending disruptions, the Directorate has offered guidance on how residents can best prepare. One significant recommendation is to store sufficient water in clean, sealed containers for use during the disruption period. They also advise keeping taps closed in order to prevent any potential water loss or damage when the water supply is restored.

These interruptions, though they may cause some inconvenience, are a crucial part of the city’s ongoing effort to maintain and upgrade its water and sanitation infrastructure. The city’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is thus grateful for the residents’ understanding and cooperation during the execution of these essential maintenance tasks.

1. What is the Water and Sanitation Directorate planning to do in the city?

The Water and Sanitation Directorate is planning maintenance work in different areas to improve the water supply system, which involves replacing faulty isolation valves.

2. Which areas will be affected by the maintenance work?

The maintenance schedule covers Claremont, Newlands, Rondebosch, and their surrounding areas, with specific times allocated for each.

3. What should residents do to prepare for the scheduled disruptions?

Residents are advised to store sufficient water in clean, sealed containers for use during the disruption period and keep taps closed in order to prevent any potential water loss or damage when the water supply is restored.

4. What should residents expect after the maintenance work is completed?

Residents might notice a cloudy or milky appearance to their water after the maintenance work is completed, due to air getting trapped in the pipes. This change in appearance is a temporary issue, and the water will regain its clear, normal appearance after standing in a glass for a short period.

5. Could the maintenance work cause extended disruptions?

The intricacy of the maintenance operations could surpass initial estimates, potentially leading to extended service disruptions than initially predicted.

6. Are the areas undergoing water and sanitation upgrades open to the public during the maintenance work?

No, all areas undergoing water and sanitation upgrades are active construction sites and, therefore, out of bounds for the general public.

Zola Naidoo is a Cape Town journalist who chronicles the city’s shifting politics and the lived realities behind the headlines. A weekend trail-runner on Table Mountain’s lower contour paths, she still swops stories in her grandmother’s District Six kitchen every Sunday, grounding her reporting in the cadences of the Cape.

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