After weeks of frustration, dry taps and mounting anxiety, Epworth residents finally received some relief on Monday evening when their water supply was restored — just in time for New Year celebrations. However, for some, the latest restoration has done little to ease deeper concerns about failing infrastructure. Residents of ward 37 have endured near-constant water outages since mid-November, triggered by a series of burst pipes across areas feeding Epworth.
The disruptions began on November 14 with a burst pipe in Hesketh Drive, in Hayfields, and were followed by repeated failures at Blackburrow Road, Alan Paton Road, Golf and Pat Newsom roads, and multiple locations in Epworth itself. In some cases, pipes burst again shortly after repairs were completed, prolonging outages and deepening residents’ frustration. The most recent failure occurred on December 28 in Epworth Road, with repairs only completed and water restored late on December 29.
Residents say the delays were compounded by the limited availability of inspectors and repair teams during the festive season. Resident Naseen Singh said Epworth has suffered repeated water outages for years, often linked to ageing infrastructure both within the ward and in neighbouring areas that affect its supply. He described the water system as visibly old and deteriorating, warning that the problem goes beyond isolated incidents.
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“Epworth has a significant population of elderly and medically vulnerable residents, including those at an old-age home,” Singh said. Historically, service delivery failures worsen during December, and there are no municipal water tankers provided during prolonged outages. Singh also raised concerns about a smaller but persistent leak near 85 Epworth Road that he claimed was reported months ago and remained unaddressed, pointing to a growing maintenance backlog and lack of preventative planning. He said residents want accountability, not political blame-shifting, and clear plans to replace or overhaul ageing infrastructure.
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