‘Leak busters’ save almost 4 million litres of water a day
03 October 2024
As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard the City’s water supply, the Water and Sanitation Leak Detection team contributes significantly to water savings.
In addition to regular maintenance and repairs, teams from the Water Demand Management and Operational Implementation section are assigned to conduct visual leak detection inspections on water pipes.
The teams annually survey at least 50% of the City's 11 213 km water reticulation network. During the 2023/2024 financial year, they inspected 5 551 km of the network and successfully identified 926 leaks.
Areas inspected are prioritised based on several factors, including infrastructure age, water pressure in the area, and the type of pipe material used.
The City's Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien recently joined the team on a visual leak detection survey exercise in Parow North.
This proactive leak detection programme has been in place for more than nine years. The water reticulation network is not only assessed for leaks, but also checked for water running to waste, damaged infrastructure and visible wet patches caused by underground leaks. Once the team locates a leak, a service request is created for it to be repaired. In most instances, the repairs are completed internally by the relevant City depot. A follow-up visit is then conducted to ensure the leak is repaired.
'Water is a vital resource and all of us are responsible for looking after it and using it wisely, regardless of the season or status of our dams.
'The leak detection programme is especially important as it not only reduces water losses, but also offers cost savings through proactive maintenance. The more water we save, the better we can preserve limited resources for future water supply.
'This programme also contributes significantly to the City's strong performance in the National Department of Water and Sanitation's No Drop assessment, which evaluates water conservation and demand management practices,' said Councillor Badroodien.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
