Closed valve the reason Joburg suburbs had no water for nine days

After some Johannesburg suburbs were left without water for nine days, technicians found the fault was simple: a valve was closed and needed to be opened.

Johannesburg Water said the Rand Water Waterval system was not showing flows going through the meter.

“Johannesburg Water teams conducted field investigations, taking pressure readings from their reservoirs along the pipe route up to the Rand Water Waterval dam meter (RW Waterval reservoir), while RW teams were conducting investigations on the supply pipe coming from the Meredale system.

“After the team met at the Waterval meter and confirmed the meter indicated zero flow, engagement between the teams concluded the valve on the take-off from the pipe coming from the Meredale system should be checked.

“The valve was found in a closed position and was subsequently opened.”

Ward councillor Nicole van Dyk confirmed she had been told about the issue.

“They had not opened up the valve, a massive valve, and once they did, water started flowing through. Rand Water needs to be engaged on this. There needs to be some type of punitive measure, and there needs to be some kind of accountability,” she said.

TimesLIVE