The City says they are making good progress on replacing ageing pipes and trying to minimise pipe bursts in Hout Bay.

Last year Sentinel reported that more than 3300 metres of water pipes in Hout Bay had been replaced with a further lot set to be done soon, but the project has yet to stop the pipe bursts plaguing the community ('Pipe repairs 'a plaster on a bleeding wound').

To date, 2 329m of the planned 2 376m of water pipes have been replaced, according to Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien.

There are scheduled water pipe replacements planned along the following roads: Martingale, Bethal, Liford, Welbevind, Mangold, Stirrup, Stirrup Ext, Saddlers, Valley and Saddlers Close for the 24/25 financial year.

When asked how the City is managing the frequent pipe bursts in Hout Bay while pipe replacements are under way, Mr Badroodien said: "Pipes burst for a number of reasons. These could be related to age of the infrastructure, pressure changes, changes in the ground condition and vandalism, etc.

"The City has set aside R523 million in our pipe replacement programme which, implemented overtime and across communities, will reduce the risk and impact of pipe bursts. These occurrences are unpredictable and Water and Sanitation teams respond to each of these incidents, which often require emergency response efforts, as they occur."

The City could not confirm whether all the ageing pipes in Hout Bay will be replaced within this year.

"Hout Bay is one of the many areas that received water pipe replacements during this financial year. Water and sewer pipe replacements are continuous projects that the City will continue to invest in. The City does not replace all the pipes. It works on a priority programme.

"Since the start of the financial year in July 2024, the City has replaced 31 626m of water pipes city-wide as at the end of January 2025, as part of the City’s R523 million investment into upgrading ageing infrastructure and improve service delivery. Thus achieving 63.25% (end of January 2025) of our 50 000-metre water pipe replacement target to date for this financial year," Mr Badroodien said.

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Martingale and Mangole road pipes to be replaced, says City