The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is set to replace 1 050 metres of water pipes in the area of Fairfield Estate, Parow, as part of a ‘larger water and sewer pipe replacement initiative’, according to a media statement issued by the City.
This project is part of the Water and Sewer Pipe Replacement Programme, for which R4.6 million of the R836.6 million has been allocated by the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate for infrastructure rehabilitation in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Also read: South Africa’s power improves but winter loadshedding risk remains
The City has been replacing ageing sewer and water pipelines annually to maintain the system integrity, such as old fibre cement water pipes that were installed in the 1950s.
The pipes being replaced are on Lawley Road, Berold Street, Leibro Street and Fairfield South Street in Fairfield Estate.
This has been the second phase of upgrades in Fairfield Estate, whereas the first phase was completed between January and April 2023. In total, 1 800 metres of pipes were replaced on Fairfield South, Gordon, Plein, Glenboig South, and Wendtlandt streets at R4.6 million.
The current phase’s maintenance began in April this year and is scheduled to conclude in August 2024.
The project currently employs the open-trench excavation method, and replacing the old pipes with more durable and leak-resistant UPVC pipes.
This method was chosen based on the ‘operating pressure, material, and available space for replacement’.
‘The City is targeting to replace 50 000 metres of water pipes, and we are on track to achieve this by the end of the financial year in June,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
‘As a growing city, we prioritise proactive maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of our water infrastructure to ensure a continuous and reliable water supply for our residents,’ Badroodien added.
Also read:
Picture: City of Cape Town / Facebook