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Resident concern over water meter readings during water outage at Hurlingham
Following a recent water outage that affected Hurlingham, a resident voiced his concern over irregularities in his water meter readings.
One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, contacted the Sandton Chronicle alleging that his water meter continued to show consumption despite the lack of water during the outage.
He said he was surprised to find that his meter was registering usage even when there was no water flowing through the taps.
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“This raises serious questions about the accuracy of the meters and how they are monitored.”
The outage, which lasted approximately 48 hours, left many residents frustrated and confused as they went without water.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson from Johannesburg Water Nombuso Shabalala said, “normally, our water meters are volumetric and respond on liquid. During restoration following a water outage, air comes with moisture, and the meter will respond accordingly.”
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She added that during the restoration period, Johannesburg Water flushes the pipelines to remove airlocks, and customers must keep their taps or domestic supply closed to prevent air from coming out of their taps and causing the meter to read moist air.
“Should the situation arise, based on the phenomenon explained, it cannot be over a long and continuous period because the larger system and flushing dispense the air in question.”
Shabalala went on to elaborate that if customers suspect that their meter is faulty, they can apply for a meter test to be conducted.
“For water meter testing, applications can be made through the City of Johannesburg’s Customer Care Service, and the city will route the query through to Johannesburg Water. Johannesburg Water has an accredited Flow Lab with testing facilities to verify the functionality of meters.”
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