The water restrictions imposed on residents of the City of Johannesburg recently resulted in some of them going to extreme measures to obtain water.
Karin D’Orville, a resident of Bergbron, recently witnessed water harvesting procedures of a different nature on the corner of Helderberg and Libertas Roads.
On a bright and early Sunday morning, a bakkie with three occupants stopped at the fire hydrant located at this crossing. The occupants got out of the vehicle, took their equipment – an orange traffic cone and a number of plastic water cans – and proceeded to use the traffic cone as a funnel to get the water from the hydrant into the cans. After completing this procedure, they got into the vehicle and drove off.
The same people returned again a week later (this time under the cover of darkness) and followed the same collecting procedure again, at the same hydrant.
Karen contacted the Ward 86 councillor via Twitter and posted a comment on Joburg Water’s page. She did not receive a reply or feedback from these actions – except for a reference number from the ward councillor.
“Surely only municipal staff or staff from the fire brigade should have access to fire hydrants? Who allows this and why – in a time where water restrictions are in force?” she asked.
Section 27 of the by-laws pertaining to water supply from a hydrant reads as follows:
‘(1) The Council may authorise a temporary supply of water to be taken from one or more fire hydrants specified by it, subject to such conditions and for such period as may be generally prescribed or specifically imposed by it in respect of such supply.
(2) Except in an emergency, a person who requires a temporary supply of water referred to in subsection (1) must apply therefor.
(3) The Council may, for the purpose of supplying water from a hydrant, provide a portable water meter to be returned to the Council on termination of the temporary supply, which portable meter and all other fittings and apparatus used for the connection of the portable water meter to a hydrant remains the property of the Council and will be provided subject to any conditions imposed by the Council.’
The matter was sent to Joburg Water for comment. Tidimalo Chuene, the Marketing and Communications manager for Joburg Water said, “I am investigating this matter. Our teams who had been on the look out for the reported bakkie have not seen it. We need the assistance of residence in this regard to take pictures when they see such incidents occurring to make law enforcement possible.
We are also in a process of getting water from fire hydrants to be less accessible for unauthorized use.”
Also Read:
Rand Water implements water restrictions, but…
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