- The City of Cape Town has allocated R836 million to upgrade water pipes in Proteaheights and Kuils River.
- Major upgrades include replacing aged pipes and the main supply line, with ongoing tests and assessments to manage water pressure effectively.
- Residents may experience low water pressure or disruptions during this period.
As part of the City of Cape Town’s R836 million budget towards pipe replacement and maintenance, several old water pipes in Proteaheights and Kuils River were recently upgraded.
Major upgrades were done between Kruispad and Mimosa Street, where aged water pipes were replaced over several months, and the main supply line next to Amandel Road that serves Soneike and Annandale was upgraded two weeks ago.
Buried as deep as 10 metres into the ground, the main pipeline measures approximately three metres in diameter. For the critical task of replacing the valves on this water pipe, water had to be turned off for periods of time.
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Yesterday, (Tuesday 2 July) work commenced in Vredekloof, Welgelee, Arauna, Morgenster, St Kilda, Marlboroug Park, Brackenfell Industrial and Okavango Park where zero-pressure tests and conditional assessments will be done on the water supply network.
“Zero-pressure testing and step-testing are part of the installation process for pressure management technology. Tests are done in advance to see if any unmapped inflows need to be considered before installing smart pressure-reducing valves,” explains a City spokesperson.
Low water pressure
In these affected areas, some residents may experience low water pressure, and some may have no water coming out of their taps for some time during this testing period.
“It is not possible to predict which areas or streets will experience disruptions. Additional zone management investigations will be carried out to ensure that the zone management infrastructure is operating effectively and efficiently. Pressure fluctuations may be experienced, but will be minimised as far as possible,” said the spokesperson.
In parts of Scottsdene in Kraaifontein, control valves were installed on the main water supply to Neville Crescent, Didi and Vera Streets. This was done in preperation for the pipe replacement project to follow in the area.
