Water vandals cost City millions
Following the vandalism of an important water pipe in Parkwood three weeks ago, the City of Cape Town has once again highlighted the scourge of these criminal incidents and said it has cost residents millions of rands.
In a recent statement, they said more than 10 000 items of water and sanitation infrastructure were vandalised and stolen, costing about R12 million to repair and replace this financial year.
The impact of vandalism was felt by thousands of households, businesses, and organisations last month when the water supply was cut to several areas in the south peninsula after an air valve at a bulk reticulation water main on Blackbird Avenue in Parkwood was damaged. The City of Cape Town’s water and sanitation department had to shut down the water supply and flush out the water pipe network to conduct the emergency maintenance work (Water outage leaves communities dry, Southern Mail, Wednesday, April 21).
Ward 66 councillor William Akim said the pipe in Blackbird Avenue was damaged by scrap collectors who used it as a chopping block to cut up their scraps, inadvertently causing thousands of rands of damage and millions of litres of water run-off.
The City has since reinforced the pipe and replaced a section of it and the potential of a similar incident has now been eliminated, said Mr Akim.
He thanked the residents for their patience and encouraged them to report incidents of vandalism or theft.
Mr Akim also asked for patience as several pipes are being replaced in his ward after pipe bursts. He said pipes in some areas have been in use for between 50 and 60 years but said the City is working tirelessly to replace these.
The City said vandalism and theft incidents not only disrupt essential services but also result in unnecessary expenses, diverting resources that could otherwise be invested in improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
Zahid Badroodien, the City’s Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, said in informal areas, about R1.18 million went towards replacing 89 manhole covers, 80 rodding eyes, over 1000 stolen taps, and about 250 vandalised and missing toilet parts.
In formal areas, it cost R10.8 million to replace over 3.500 missing manhole covers, over 2 800 stolen water meters, 650 meter covers, over 1 200 hydrant covers, and 275 missing valve covers, said Mr Badroodien.
“Each act of vandalism diverts precious time and resources away from maintaining and enhancing the quality of services.
“Beyond the financial burden, vandalism puts the public’s health and safety at risk as well as the inconvenience they have to endure. Damage to the water network or pipelines can compromise water quality, and disruptions in sanitation services can contribute to sewer overflows, posing risks to public health,” added Mr Badroedien.
From July 2023 to March 2024, the directorate attended to over 64 000 sewer blockages, of which 52 665 were due to misuse, costing approximately R371.7 million to resolve.
A call has been made for collaborative action from communities, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders.
“By protecting our network of pipes and equipment, we not only preserve essential services but also contribute to the overall well-being and development of communities,” said Mr Badroodien.
If you observe individuals tampering with manhole covers or dumping foreign objects into the sewer system, report it on 0860 103 089.