The plumber scrambling out the trench in eThekwini. The municipality stated that the water and sanitation unit has highly qualified technical teams, which include engineers and plumbers who are committed to service excellence. Picture: Screengrab
Durban — The Institute of Plumbing South Africa (IOPSA) said it had seen far too many incidents in municipalities where water pipe repairs and cut-ins are often done incorrectly, and these were a big contributing factor to the country’s water woes.
The institute was responding to a 19-second video clip that went viral on social media, of an eThekwini Municipality plumber hammering a uPVC pressure plastic pipe until it split.
The city did not divulge the location.
Municipal spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said they were aware of the video.
Sisilana explained that the municipal employee was installing a new connection, known as a domestic pipeline, for an individual consumer.
“This is not a major pipeline that supplies water to thousands of residents and businesses. This incident is also not linked to the water challenges affecting some residents in the north (of Durban),” she said.
“The municipality’s water and sanitation unit has highly qualified technical teams, which include engineers and plumbers who are committed to service excellence. The circumstances surrounding this unique and isolated incident are being investigated,” Sisilana said.
People in the northern areas of the municipality are frustrated because some of them have been without water for weeks and in some areas, for months.
In the video clip, a plumber wearing an eThekwini water and sanitation unit (EWS) T-shirt, is seen standing in a trench. He is holding an object in his left hand and a hammer in his right, and hammers the object into a silver bracket. After seven strikes on the object that is placed on the pipe, the pipe splits.
Water quickly fills the trench in which he is standing. His colleagues standing above him urge him to get out of the trench. A ladder that he used to get into the trench is also pulled out by his colleague, leaving the man stranded. The man panics as the water level rises to his knees. He claws at the sand around him to try and pull himself out of the hole.
Kaela Wilson, spokesperson for IOPSA, said it was difficult to give a comprehensive comment on such a short clip without having any background knowledge. She explained that the repair was called a hot or live connection.
The institute felt that the person doing the work did not use the correct tools for this type of work nor was he wearing appropriate PPE.
Wilson said that the man had a piece of pipe or rebar and not an actual tool. He should have been secured with a rope and harness so that his colleagues could quickly pull him to safety. A hard hat and safety goggles were also recommended.
“The correct way would have been to drill the connection using an ‘under pressure drill’ or other specialised tool. It is not ideal and should only be done if there are no other options available. Ideally, they should have shut down the line they were cutting into or reduced the pressure by opening up hydrants in the area to relieve the pressure. This may have been done we do not know.”
The institute said that it was difficult to see clearly but they suspect that the pipe split.
“Each situation is unique and it is difficult to comment fully without all the facts, but, wherever possible shut off the water. If not possible, open up hydrants or other high-volume fittings to reduce the pressure in the line.
“The cut-in should be done using a drill or a specialised cutting tool. Hammering may cause the pipe to split,” she said.
Wilson said the institute trained staff in municipalities across the country.
“But sadly, eThekwini has never participated. Over 500 municipal staff were trained by IOPSA last year.”
She said the institute was relieved that nobody was injured or killed.
Meanwhile, the municipality is working to improve the flow of water in the northern aqueduct, a pipeline that carries water from the Durban Heights Treatment Works to areas in the north.
Last week, city manager Musa Mbhele said the water supply to northern areas had improved.
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