Water surged down York Street, spilling over into Hardwick Street, transforming both roads into fast-flowing streams. Motorists found themselves quickly adjusting as they tried to manoeuvre through the large pools forming on the flooded and now treacherously slippery streets. Stormwater drains struggled to cope, bubbling under the pressure of the heavy influx.
This was the chaotic scene that greeted Newcastillians on Wednesday, 23 October 2024, as thousands of litres of water flowed freely before the Newcastle Municipality managed to shut off the supply shortly after midday.
The cause of this sudden deluge, according to Newcastle Municipality’s Councillor Bertie Meiring, stemmed from a burst water pipe on York Street, just a short distance from the intersection with Hardwick Street.
In a message to residents, Councillor Meiring confirmed that municipal teams would immediately begin working on the burst pipe but could not provide an estimated timeline for repairs. He did, however, warn that the repair work would lead to either low water pressure or a complete water outage for nearby residents and businesses.
This incident raises the pressing question of what Newcastle Municipality is doing to address its deteriorating water infrastructure, which seems to break down frequently.
As you will recall, in August 2024, Newcastillian News reported on the impact of the failing infrastructure, with several residential areas left without water for days due to similar issues.
At the time, Councillor Cassim highlighted the financial burden this water wastage was placing on the Municipality, explaining that steps were being taken to secure the necessary funding to repair the decaying system.
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Nearly two months later, Councillor Meiring offered an update, noting that while efforts to secure grants were ongoing, the process was not yet complete. “It will take millions to fix the infrastructure, and once the grants are in place, the necessary work will be done,” assured Councillor Meiring. He was, however, unable to provide a specific timeline for when the grants would be finalised.
Concerns over Newcastle’s water infrastructure were further highlighted in the Auditor-General of South Africa’s Consolidated General Report on Local Government Audit Outcomes for 2022-2023.
The report revealed that Newcastle Municipality had disclosed water losses amounting to R58.9 million in its annual financial statements. This figure represents 37% of all water flowing through the municipal pipelines.
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As water continued to flood two of the CBD’s busiest roads, wasting litre after litre, Newcastle’s infrastructure issues became glaringly evident once again.
What are your thoughts on the situation? Feel free to share your views in the comments below.
