The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has proactively implemented a pressure management programme for almost 15 years. The key objectives have been to increase the lifespan of the water supply infrastructure by reducing the high pressure exerted by the water on the internal walls of the pipes and to eliminate the water losses resulting from bursts or leaks because of the pressure. The programme has systematically grown and yielded significant successes over the years in areas where pipe bursts caused by high pressures and ageing infrastructure were prevalent.

Goodwood was identified as one of a number of areas that had to be scheduled for pressure management to reduce water losses and preserve the ageing pipeline network. The City, as part of the design parameters for pressure management zones, aims to provide a minimum of 2,0 bar water pressure at the point of highest topographical elevation on the water network in each area.

However, the pressure regulating infrastructure used to control water pressure to the Goodwood area is vandalised. Controllers are installed to adjust the pressure according to the demand on the local water supply network. The critical components of this infrastructure is of an electronic nature and requires replacement to restore its functionality.

The onset of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic and the global shortage of electronic microchips caused major delays in the delivery of this critical replacement infrastructure, which is unfortunately beyond the City’s control. It still has a direct impact on the City’s ability to maintain the water supply to the Goodwood area at the constant optimum pressure of 2,0 bar throughout the day and night-time draws.

The City is currently only able to maintain one water pressure setting in the Goodwood area. In order to maintain water supply to all residents in the area, the pressure setting has been determined in order to avoid high pressure in lower lying areas. Residents may experience reduced pressure for short periods during the daytime and over weekends when water use increases across the Goodwood area. Any increased pressure may result in pipe bursts,  as the pipe network is already fragile, leaving residents without water while repairs are being done. The pressure settings will, however, be readjusted once the replacement infrastructure has been received and installed.

The City has also been implementing a pipe replacement programme to address its ageing water supply infrastructure and the Goodwood area will also form part of it.

‘The City sincerely regrets the current pressure management dilemma in the Goodwood area and is pulling out all stops to resolve the matter as it is imperative that we maintain our water supply infrastructure to benefit our consumers. I would like to thank our consumers for their cooperation and patience, while we are addressing the situation,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.

Source: City Of Cape Town