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Water has been streaming down Nelson Mandela Bay's main pipeline in Blue Horizon Bay for possibly close to a decade and the Municipality has no idea whether it is a leak or a natural water spring yet.
Metro spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki told Algoa FM News that the municipality has had no report of such a leak and has now cleared the bushes on the bulk pipelines to carry out a detailed investigation.
A source, however, told Algoa FM News that a leak was reported on the 26th of October 2017 and supplied a reference number 991283.
A local resident who did not want to be named, says she first spotted water running down the main pipe at least a decade ago.
She initially thought it was a natural water spring or possibly a floodplain due to its proximity to the Maitland River mouth.
“Also, the vegetation in the area is what you would expect around a natural water source,” she said.
But, now she has started to ponder on whether this could be a leak.
She said although she was initially convinced that the water was coming from a natural source, a few of the residents in the area have started to question the possibility of a water leak.
“With the very obvious water crises in Gqeberha and the fact that there is so much water running through this area, a few of us in the village that have seen it are starting to question the possibility of a pipeline leak,” she added.
In photos seen by Algoa FM News, the main pipeline is seen buried underneath a pool of water.
Another resident, Jane Nichol, said that she first saw water streaming down the pipeline two years ago.
Nichol said this was alarming as no one knows where the water could be coming from.
The Municipality said that it had identified from the photos sent to it by Algoa Fm News that the water is running down the dunes close to Maitlands adding that it is busy tracking the source of the water.
"Its pipeline servitude has been cleared of the bushes on the bulk pipelines to carry out a detailed investigation. Due to the location of this water, it is not easily accessible for use," said the Metro.
