Councillor Brian Hlongwa looks on as Mayor Amos Masondo opens the new reservoir

RELATED LINKS: How Joburg plans to save that water The water that flows from your taps has travelled hundreds of kilometres to get to you - and somewhere along that convoluted route, as much as 40% of it is believed to leak away. Which sounds alarming, in a country accustomed to drought. But the same happens every day, in every city in the world - and Johannesburg, a city not created on a river, compares rather well. Read more Mayor launches R450-m plan to save water Operation Gcin'amanzi, a five-year multi-million rand project to upgrade and replace Soweto's decaying water infrastructure, was officially launched in Phiri, Soweto. Read more About Joburg Water Johannesburg Water is the City's water and sanitation utility, a self-contained business operating at "arm's length" from the City Council, with its own management and staff. The City is the sole shareholder in the new utility, and acts as the "client" to Johannesburg Water, setting requirements and monitoring performance and customer care. Read more

The R15-million 30-megalitre reservoir in Linbro Park

Reservoir makes the stuff of life flow Alex's way July 1, 2004 By Tammy O'Reilly WHEN Johannesburg's executive mayor, Amos Masondo, spun the wheel to start the flow of water into the new reservoir in Linbro Park, he also gave Alexandra's wheels of development one more turn. The completion of the R15-million, 30-megalitre reservoir by Johannesburg Water - the city's water and sanitation provider - is a vital link in the City of Johannesburg's chain of developments in Alexandra. The reservoir offers two benefits: it gives Alexandra a "gravity-fed" system that will end high-pressure problems and is a catalyst for the development of surrounding areas - which will in turn help the de-densification programme. Before he opened the tap, Masondo addressed the media and stakeholders, and commended Johannesburg Water for the completion of the construction, which started in February last year. The mayor said water had always been a concern of politicians and world leaders. "We have today this reservoir being opened and it is no small matter. It is very important that water, being the source of life, is available to all our people," Masondo said. Helen Kulyk, the acting managing director of the water company, outlined its achievements of the past year. There had been improvements in water quality and a number of valves had been fixed - contributing to the decrease in "unaccounted for water". She also said 4 000 latrines had been replaced; 9 000 more would be replaced by 2006. "This reservoir has assisted in providing a service to low-income areas. It's not often that we build structures that are visible above the ground. We are privileged to inaugurate something that we can see," she said. The new reservoir demanded 4 000 cubic metres of concrete - as well as 300 tons of reinforced concrete, which was bent and shaped in the columns of the roof. Although a few problems were encountered along the way - there was a delay in the delivery of concrete and earthworks needed more time - the construction finished in December last year. In closing Rodney Nay - the executive director in the City's department of development planning - said "water is the quality of life and sanitation provides dignity of life". "This reservoir achieves this," Nay said. Meanwhile, Johannesburg Water is in the process of upgrading the access roads to the Dunkeld reservoir and repairing and upgrading water and sewer pipes in the suburb. In a statement, Johannesburg Water warned residents of Dunkeld and users of Bompas Road that this will mean the roads between Christopherson Street and Cradock Avenue will be closed. Roads will be closed from Monday 5 July until completion of the work at the end of July. Motorists are advised to use alternative routes during this period. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za