Ruimsig Water Leak Damages Estate Wall as Residents Lose Faith in Johannesburg Water

A persistent leak of rust-coloured water behind Ruimsig Country Club has left residents of St Andrew’s Estate in Roodepoort disheartened and out of pocket, as Johannesburg Water remains silent on the issue.

For several weeks, homeowners have watched a steady stream of discoloured water seep onto their properties, causing visible structural damage to the estate’s boundary wall. Despite logging complaints and attempting to engage city officials, no technical assessment has been provided, and the source of the leak remains unidentified.

Community Takes Action Amid Official Silence

Residents say they have been forced to take matters into their own hands. A trench has been dug along the estate’s edge in a desperate attempt to redirect the leak, which continues to pool along the wall and soak into the lawn.

“For me, it’s not as bad,” said Lucas Molea, a resident of the estate. “But the unit on the corner has water coming up through the grass. Our boundary wall has damp damage. We now have to raise a special levy to fix it.”

The discolouration of the water, described as rusty or orange-brown, has sparked concern about potential health hazards or deeper infrastructure issues such as corroded pipes or contamination.

Johannesburg Water Promised a Visit — Then Went Quiet

According to residents, a Johannesburg Water employee contacted the Roodepoort Northside to confirm that a team would inspect the site on April 29. However, as of this week, no team has arrived, and residents have received no further updates.

Photographs from the site show rusty water flowing through grass, under fences, and down into the street — a stark image of unmanaged municipal water loss and lack of oversight.

Calls for Urgent Action

The St Andrew’s community is demanding answers and urgent intervention from Johannesburg Water. They are calling for a proper investigation to determine whether the leak stems from a burst pipe, a damaged stormwater outlet, or an underground fault.

In the meantime, the residents continue to shoulder the burden — financially and emotionally — with no clarity on when the issue will be resolved.

At the time of publication, Johannesburg Water had not responded to media queries regarding the leak, inspection timeline, or possible repair schedule.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com