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This entails pulling steel brushes and other tools through the system from manhole to manhole. The depots also employ Hydro Vac jet machines to clear blockages, and remove sand and other foreign objects in the network. All hotspots are placed on a roster for regular cleaning. The depots also maintain all clean water supply infrastructure in Soweto. The operations and maintenance team inspects problematic sewer pipe sections by CCTV cameras to determine the source of the problem. In some cases, reconstruction of the sewer infrastructure is done and, depending on the extent of the problem, some are escalated for capital funds intervention.
On an average, over a three month period, the region receives the following requests for services: main sewer blockages – 3 200, leaking meters – 2 930, and leaking pipes – 2 300. According to Piet Pretorius, regional manager for Soweto, some of the key challenges in the region include ageing water and sewer infrastructure, overloaded systems, inappropriate use of sewer infrastructure, storm water ingress into the sewer network and cuts on operational and capital budgets. Illegal connections and external contractors, who sometimes damage infrastructure, also present challenges. However, despite these challenges, the ageing infrastructure is still managed in an excellent manner within the region.
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Soweto fact file |
Number of reservoirs in region: |
17 |
Length of water mains: |
1 733 km |
Length of sewer mains: |
1 962 km |
Number of pump stations (sewer): |
1 (Daveland) |
Number of wastewater treatment plants: |
1 (Goukoppies) |
Number of personnel: |
355 |
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Contact Details |
Klipsruit Depot
1296 Mofokeng Street
Klipspruit
T: 011 933-1747
F: 011 938-1421
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Avalon Depot
Calendula Road, Klipspruit West
Tel: 011 947 1013
Fax: 011 947 1406
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