Ward 89 councillor Amelia Bester has revealed the initial findings of an ongoing study relating to underground water in the area. She said that she has requested that a presentation be done to the community.
“We’ve had underground water studies done in Constantia Kloof – to address the issue in Oribi Street, and in Fairland – to address the Kessel Street Park issue,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
According to Amelia, the studies were funded by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) and the Environment and Infrastructure Services Department (EISD).
In the interim, she provided a snippet of the findings supplied by Jane Eagle, Deputy Director: Open Space Planning, Water and Biodiversity Directorate of the EISD about Oribi Street.
The results read: “The Hydropeology study confirmed that there is a serious groundwater challenge on the eastern slopes of this ridge area. The study found that there are natural ‘pipes’ in the soil through which large volumes of water travel. The study correctly characterised the recharge area on the top of the ridge and the groundwater flows in the mid zone. However, the tests which hydropedologists undertook indicated that the recharge zone on the top of the ridge as well as the shallow sub surface flows, together with the groundwater flows and pressure in the valley, do not explain the volume or type of water which is found on the problem sites. This seems to suggest that there are some deep water sources which may be finding their way to the surface – which may even come from deep water sources to the west of the ridge, finding their way to the surface through fractures in the rock.”
Jane continued, “This hypothesis can only be confirmed through further geophysics and geohydrological tests. While the current study has been completed, it has not provided the full answers which we need to be able to design mitigation measures to address the water problems affecting this area.”
Amelia concluded by indicating that the underground water is a perplexed issue which she aims to raise when the MMC for Economic Development, Leah Knott, visits the ward to conduct an oversight soon.
