50-Hour Rand Water Shutdown to Disrupt Supply Across Gauteng Municipalities

by Kelebogile Matlou

Johannesburg Water has confirmed that its systems will be affected by Rand Water’s 50-hour planned maintenance, scheduled to start at 5:00 on Monday, 30 June, and end at 7:00 on Wednesday, 2 July. In May, The South African reported that Rand Water would conduct critical maintenance on its key infrastructure between May and July, which would result in major disruptions in Gauteng.

According to Johannesburg Water, the objective of the maintenance is to increase capacity and improve plant availability, reliability in preparation for the anticipated increase in supply volumes from August. The maintenance will involve valve replacements at the Zwartkopjes Station, directly impacting the following Johannesburg areas: Crown Gardens, Eagles Nest Reservoir, Parktown, Berea, Forest Hill, Alan Manor, Naturena, Hector Norris Pump Station.

Residents have been advised to store water in advance, as there would be no pumping for the duration of the maintenance. Johannesburg Water also said that water tankers will only be deployed after 24 hours. Rand Water previously noted that during this maintenance period, pumping capacity will be reduced at the Eikenhof, Palmiet, Mapleton, and Zwartkopjes systems. This reduction could result in low water pressure or intermittent supply in parts of the City of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Tshwane, as well as other local municipalities.

The City of Ekurhuleni has urged residents and businesses to prepare accordingly to minimize inconvenience during this period. The metro added,water tankers will be deployed to the affected areas to provide temporary relief. According to officials, full restoration of the water supply may take up to seven days after completion of the maintenance, and high-lying areas and those receiving supply from pumping systems will take longer to recover.