eThekwini water leaks fall from 13 000 to 3 900 in two months
Mayor Cyril Xaba inspected repairs in uMlazi this week and asked residents to stop dumping objects into sewer manholes and to report illegal water connections.
The eThekwini Municipality says reported water leaks across the city have dropped from 13 000 to 3 900 since its accelerated service delivery programme began two months ago, a reduction of more than two thirds in the leak backlog.
The figure comes from the municipality itself, carried by SAnews (South African Government News Agency), and is a count of reported leaks rather than an independent audit of the city’s water losses.
The programme is led by eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba and deploys technical response teams to areas hit by persistent water leaks and sewer spillages. Its stated aim is to restore critical water and sanitation infrastructure.
On Wednesday, Xaba inspected water and sanitation infrastructure in uMlazi Wards 80, 81 and 88, where he monitored repairs to water leaks and the clearing and flushing of severe sewer network blockages.
“Our goal here is not just to apply temporary fixes, but to ensure our maintenance crews clear the backlog systemically, restore the dignity of our residents, and protect our environment from toxic spillages,” Xaba said.
The mayor said the misuse of public infrastructure remains a primary driver of recurring sewer blockages in the municipality. He urged residents to stop disposing of foreign objects in sewer manholes and to report illegal water connections, which he said overload existing water and sanitation infrastructure.
No deadline, budget figure or completion date for the programme is stated in the source material, and no independent verification of the 13 000 and 3 900 figures is provided.
Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), Water leaks drop as eThekwini accelerates repairs, https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/water-leaks-drop-ethekwini-accelerates-repairs
