Cape Town: With dam levels dropping, saving water and ensuring residents continue to enjoy a reliable water supply remains a priority for the Water and Sanitation Directorate of the City of Cape Town. A critical part of safeguarding water supply is the proactive replacement of ageing infrastructure to reduce leaks and prevent costly pipe bursts.
Recently, approx. 2.34km of ageing fibre cement water mains were replaced in Macassar to the value of R5.7 million. The water pipe replacement project in Macassar started in October 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in March 2026. Some 100m of 50mm diameter fibre cement pipes will be replaced with 110mm high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. These new pipes are cost-effective, have a longer lifespan and meet South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) specifications.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Water and Sanitation – Councillor Zahid Badroodien said that proactively replacing pipe networks makes them better prepared for rapid population growth. It also allows them to systematically plan and budget for rehabilitation of the expected wear and tear of infrastructure.
Another significant benefit is that pipe replacement reduces leaks and helps them in conserving water. This work covers several streets, including Musica, Doh, Fah, Ray and Mes. It forms part of the broader commitment by the city to invest in the renewal of water infrastructure that depreciates over time.
In the 2025-26 financial year, R239.5 million has been allocated to the city-wide water pipe replacement programme that underscored the continued investment of the City of Cape Town in water resilience. The method used for this pipe replacement project is open-trench for the following reasons:
- Suitability: It is the most suitable method where there is dense existing services.
- Visibility and Access: it provides full visibility of the site, simplifying the identification of existing utilities and potential hazards.
- Cost: It is cheaper than trenchless methods during the planning phase, as it avoids specialised, high-cost machinery.
- Local Economic Benefit: The method supports labour-intensive work, creating employment opportunities within the community.
Notably, a total of 10 local residents were employed as part of the project team for this job and a local security company was appointed to assist with site safety and asset protection.