Table View roads, sewer system and water infrastructure on the City’s radar
28 April 2021
The City of Cape Town’s Transport Directorate is working in close collaboration with our colleagues at the Water and Waste Directorate to address the backlog on the reinstatement of road infrastructure. The reinstatements take place after pipe replacements or repairs to water mains in the Table View area.
Our teams are working around the clock to address the road maintenance backlog in Table View. Some of these backlogs relate to pothole repairs, road repairs following on from work done related to burst water mains, as well as trench reinstatements.
‘Apart from ongoing road maintenance, I want to mention to residents that several road resurfacing projects have been completed, and we have also upgraded key access routes,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee for Transport, Alderman Felicity Purchase.
Work that has already been completed in the area includes:
Bosmansdam Road – This project has been completed. The bottlenecks that existed for years where vehicular traffic merged into a single lane, have been eliminated with the dualling of the road in both directions. This reduces delays for those who are travelling during peak-hour periods. Pedestrians now also have a surfaced walkway that links with Koeberg Road and Montague Drive.
Malibongwe Drive – Thanks to this project, traffic flow along the dualled section of Malibongwe Drive and Sandown Road between Potsdam Road and Gie Road has seen a significant improvement.
Sandown Road – Sandown Road from Sunningdale Drive to Parklands Main Road. The project entailed the construction of two additional vehicle lanes, pedestrian sidewalks, underground services and associated streetlights and traffic signals. The intersection at Wood Drive and Sandown Road was also rebuilt.
Wood Drive – The project entailed the construction of two additional lanes for vehicles, pedestrian sidewalks, the installation of underground services and associated streetlights, and traffic signals.
Also, the City resurfaced a number of roads between September 2020 and November 2020:
South and Keats Roads intersection
Study Street between South and Blaauwberg Roads
Merlot Avenue between Janssens and Sultana Roads
Grey Avenue and Alphen Road between Briza Road and Meerlust Street
Claret Street
Madeira Crescent
Sherry Way, including Sherry Close
Delheim Road
Bellingham Road
Pipe replacements are often needed to ensure our residents have access to uninterrupted water supply. Given that the water mains are located under our roads, the top layer of the road is removed to get access to the infrastructure. Once the water main has been replaced or repaired, the road surface must be reinstated.
There are several pipe replacements happening in Table View, and the Water and Waste Directorate is responsible for the reinstatement of the roads once they are done. They are working as fast as they can to do the road reinstatements.
‘Residents can appreciate that much work has been done in the area and much more is in the pipeline. I understand residents’ frustration, but I want to assure them that we are doing our best to improve the state of the roads. Our road repair teams have prioritised pothole repairs, and they are working around the clock to eradicate the backlog that came as a result of the initial lockdown when roadworks were not considered as essential services,’ said Alderman Purchase.
The City relies on residents to report potholes to the Transport Information Centre on 080 065 6463. This is a 24/7 information centre and is toll free from a landline or a cell phone. Alternatively, residents can email Transport.Info@capetown.gov.za.
They must please include their name, contact number and the exact location of the pothole as this will assist with our response time.
Pipe replacements
The City has a pipe replacement programme (PRP) which is budgeted for annually. The available budget is used to prioritise the replacement of pipes across the City. The Table View area has been identified for replacement as part of this programme.
There are currently two ongoing projects in Flamingo Vlei, which involve the trenchless rehabilitation of water mains and leadings by means of pipe-cracking technology. This technology excludes the need for excavation and traffic disruption by breaking open the old pipe and pulling the new pipe into the space it creates using pulling rods and hydraulic power generators.
The ongoing projects are scheduled for completion in June 2021 at a combined projected cost of about R4,5 million (excl Vat). The focus will shift to pipe replacements in East and Central Table View (Blaauwberg and Popham Roads) in the 2021/22 financial year estimated to cost about R9 million, subject to budget and resource availability.
This will ensure that water services to residents continue with minimal water supply disruptions in the area. With regards to road reinstatements and pothole repairs, contractors have already started and are currently busy with the priority list on outstanding reinstatements in the Table View area.
Sewer blockages and overflows:
The Water and Sanitation team cleared 209 sewer blockages and overflows between 1 January 2021 to 19 April 2021, in Table View, Flamingo Vlei, Sunridge and West Riding.
The majority of blockages across the city, including in the Table View area, are caused by misuse of the sewer system, especially when items such as rags, newspapers, feminine hygiene products, nappies, wet wipes, building materials, are disposed of into the system, as well as the build-up of cooking fat/oil into the sewer system.
‘The City clears the blockages and overflows as and when they are reported, but the situation will continue until such time as these items stop being flushed down the toilet or with regards to fats/ oils, poured down the drain. We encourage residents and businesses to please dispose of these items appropriately.
‘Furthermore, a major infrastructure investment project, to construct a new bulk outfall sewer and rehabilitate the existing Montague Drive bulk sewer system, is currently under way. In February, Council approved an engineering contract for the planning, design and implementation of the project, which will see construction of a new 4 km bulk sewer along the boundaries of the Montague Gardens industrial area. This investment will cater for growth and development in the area, and extend the lifespan of the existing infrastructure.
‘The Montague Drive Bulk Sewer conveys sewage from the intersection of Railway Road and Montague Drive to the nearby Koeberg Sewer Pump Station, situated along Koeberg Road. As part of the contract, a new litter trap will be installed to prevent dumped items like rags and rubble from damaging the Koeberg Pump Station, causing breakdowns. The first phase of this R30 million project is scheduled for completion in 2025,’ said Alderman Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Waste and Water.
More information is available here: https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City's%20water%20and%20sanitation%20teams%20clear%20122%20000%20sewer%20blockages
Logging service requests
Report sewer blockages, missing drain covers, vandalism, burst pipes, leaks and water wastage using one of the following options (Please provide the street address, and get a reference number):
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
