Sinkholes: Municipality acts swiftly

Eileen van der Schyff

The Municipality of Walvis Bay responded swiftly in the past few weeks to repair sinkholes that formed at several locations across Walvis Bay. Leaking sewer lines are the main reason for sink-holes to form.

Namib Times reported on the issue of sink-holes forming in the harbour town in recent editions. Sinkholes, it was explained to the newspaper form when a sewer pipe leaks underground. It erodes the soil and a large hole forms directly below the surface. At some stage the underground cavity’s roof collapses, exposing a deep hole.
The Municipality of Walvis Bay jumped into action and under emergency work invited four contractors to submit quota-tions for the repair work.
All contractors were present when RCJS Pumping Solutions was chosen to do the job. The contractor already fixed four sink-holes and started with a 104 meter line replacement where a sinkhole formed in Mandume Ndemufayo Circle in Meersig.
The contractor told the Namib Times in a telephonic interview this week the road will be partially closed off for some two weeks it will take to complete the repair job.
Another line replacement is coming up in 6th Road East in Meersig where another sinkhole formed. They will do a sewer line replacement of 65 meters. This line replacement will take eight days. The work will also be conducted by RCJS Pumping Solutions.