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Fresh concerns have emerged over the condition of the multimillion-rand Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels Recreational Park after recurring underground water seepage prompted the Buffalo City Metro Municipality (BCM) to consider replacing the facility’s entire underground water reticulation network.
Residents say the problem at the recreational facility, popularly known as The Stoep, has become worse since water first started seeping through earlier this year.
Pools of stagnant water have now formed around parts of the paving, with water continuing to appear even during dry weather.
Resident Asenathi Makumsha said residents had been assured the problem would be fixed.
“It’s even worse. You can see the water coming from underneath the structure and it makes people question the quality of the work done,” Makumsha said.
BCM spokesperson Bongani Fuzile said the municipality was aware of the recurring water seepage and it was receiving attention.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the seepage is linked to failures within the facility’s underground water infrastructure.
“While the exact cause and full extent of the problem are still being assessed, technical investigations undertaken by the municipality, with input from external service providers, have found that the entire underground water reticulation network requires replacement to provide a sustainable long-term solution,” Fuzile said.
He said municipal maintenance teams attended to the affected areas after reports received in April and repaired leaking sections of the underground network.
“These interventions were intended to restore functionality and address immediate concerns while longer-term solutions were being considered.
“The recurrence of the seepage suggests that the repairs may not have addressed the underlying causes,” he said.
Fuzile said technical assessments had identified concerns relating to underground infrastructure and drainage systems at the facility, while further investigations were needed to find a permanent remedy.
Quigney Ratepayers’ Association member Satish Nair said the leak had been running for the past 10 days.
“The leak was reported, then BCM officials attended, where they dug up and assessed, and just left it like that.
“The big hole is not covered, and water has been seeping down the structure for an additional seven days now.
“The leak is creating algae which is slippery and that poses danger to patrons.”
Nair said residents had repeatedly reported the problem.
“We are calling on BCM to urgently investigate the source of the underground seepage and provide answers on whether there are drainage failures or construction-related defects,” he said.
An engineer, who asked not to be named, said recurring failures of this nature were often linked to underground infrastructure problems.
“Subsurface utility leaks are the most common trigger.
“An underlying water main, stormwater pipe or sewer line that is leaking creates constant water pressure that erodes the fine bedding sand and stabilising base layers, eventually forming underground voids until the bricks cave in,” the engineer said.
He said the recurring nature of the problem suggested previous interventions may have addressed only visible surface damage.
“Until the subsurface water source is identified and permanently repaired, and the saturated soil is entirely replaced with properly compacted, engineered base material, the pavement will continue to fail,” he said.
DA councillor Sue Bentley said: “The recurring problems are indicative of infrastructure that is beyond its lifespan.
“Repairs that are done piecemeal will never sort out the issue because leaks will just occur further along the line.”
She said an infrastructure assessment should have been conducted before millions were spent on the project so replacement work could have been incorporated into the development.
Daily Dispatch
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