As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to address infrastructure backlogs, in this case, through the repair and rehabilitation of our storm water drainage system, Robinson Canal, one of the City’s oldest canals, has undergone an R8 million upgrade.
This repair will minimise the incidence of flooding in the Inner City.
Due to climate change, the City has seen an increase in flash flooding following sporadic torrential downpours since 2009. This has resulted in increased water volumes which have negatively impacted on the aging stormwater infrastructure across the City.
The Robinson Canal project has been divided into three phases. Phase 1, which is 65% complete, is expected to reach completion at the end of June 2017.
Phase 1 focuses on repairs and rehabilitation of an open channel which services the Inner City from Main Street passing through Selby and Ophirton and ends on Lake Street.
Repairs have been undertaken on the canal linings, sinkholes, include sludge and vegetation removal and gabion works. Multiple defects were reported as part of initial site inspection, which required the scope of work to be divided into three phases. Phase 2 of the structural repairs has been scheduled for the 2017/2018 financial year with capital expenditure budget of approximately R5 million. This phase will focus on the six-month repair of the underground channel which will require increased safety precautions due to the nature of trapped gases from the waste water in the lower lying structure.
The Johannesburg Roads Agency is in the process of appointing contractors for this phase.
As part of the City’s quest to stimulate economic growth and decrease levels of high unemployment, 40 local people were employed for the duration of the project. Four emerging sub-contractors from the local community were hired, with the main contractor was female-owned.
As we celebrate Environment Month, this June, it is important for us to understand the impact of waste water and greenhouse gases on the environment. The importance of systemic adaptation to climate change must be emphasised in ensuring the preparedness of the city’s infrastructure towards safe, resilient and sustainable human settlements.
The City of Johannesburg’s five pillars underpinning this administration’s strategic vision align to the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals. As a city, we are implementing mitigation measures in our infrastructure projects to combat climate change and its impacts. The structural rehabilitation of Robinson Canal ensures sustainable management of stormwater with risk mitigation measures in place to reduce impact and harm to biodiversity and the surrounding community.
I would therefore like to thank the residents of Joburg for their patience while we address the current problems of stormwater drains resulting to flooding. We are committed on building and preserving our stormwater infrastructure and ensuring sustainable industrialisation. Furthermore, we encourage our residents to continue to report any road, traffic light, or infrastructure faults on the JRA’s Find & Fix App.