Rand Water has announced a 36-hour planned water shutdown affecting numerous areas in Gauteng, beginning Friday, 13 December 2024, at 5:00 am and lasting until Saturday, 14 December 2024, at 5:00 pm.
The shutdown, necessitated by essential maintenance at the Zwartkopies Pump Station, will impact residents and businesses across a wide swathe of the province. The City of Ekurhuleni has issued a detailed statement outlining the affected areas within its municipal boundaries, urging residents to prepare accordingly.
The maintenance at the Zwartkopies Pump Station will result in a complete interruption of water supply for a significant period. The City of Ekurhuleni has committed to deploying roving water tankers to the affected areas to mitigate the impact of the shutdown, but residents are strongly encouraged to take proactive measures.
"Residents in affected areas are encouraged to plan ahead of the water supply interruption," the City of Ekurhuleni statement reads. "However, the City of Ekurhuleni will provide roving water tankers to affected areas."
Rand Water has issued a similar appeal, advising residents to store sufficient water for domestic use and to conserve water during this period. Businesses and institutions are urged to ensure they have adequate on-site water storage, ideally equivalent to their daily consumption or at least a 36-hour supply. The water utility also cautions that the system may take up to 48 hours to fully stabilise after the maintenance is completed.
The following areas will be affected by the 36-hour water outage:
BOKSBURG:
- Boksburg CBD
- Van Dyk Park
- Parkrand
- Parkdene
- Cinderella
- Boksburg East Industrial
- Part of Sunward Park
- Farrar Park
- Freeway Park
- Elspark Spruitview
- Leondale
- Roodekop Industrial
BENONI:
- Benoni CBD
- Benoni South Industrial
- The Sterwards
- Westdene
- Lakefield
- Kleinfontein AH
- Lakeside
- Wattville
- Actonville
- Benoni Reservoir
- Morehill
- Crystal Park
- Farrarmere
- Northmead
- Brentwood Park
- Goedeburg
- Rynfield
- Rynfield AH
- Tamboville
- Mackenzie Park
- Hating De Wald
- Apex Industrial
- Ebotse
KATLEHONG 1:
- Katlehong 1 (Specific areas within Katlehong 1 will be affected; further details should be sought from the City of Ekurhuleni).
JOHANNESBURG:
The impact extends beyond Ekurhuleni, as the Zwartkopies Pump Station also supplies several areas within Johannesburg. These areas include:
- Crown Gardens
- Eagles Nest Reservoir
- Parktown
- Berea
- Forest Hill
- Alan Manor
- Naturena
- Aeroton
- Orlando East
- Hector Norris Pump Station
The 36-hour water interruption represents a significant challenge for residents and businesses in these areas. The scale of the disruption underscores the importance of careful planning and water conservation.
#Boksburg and #Benoni water supply will be affected by Rand Water planned maintenance from 5am on 1️⃣3️⃣ December – 5pm on 1️⃣4️⃣ December 2024.
See affected areas listed below⬇️ pic.twitter.com/shtvq7O3qa
— CITY OF EKURHULENI (@City_Ekurhuleni) December 9, 2024
Residents are advised to check with their local municipalities for any further updates or clarifications regarding the water shutdown and the provision of alternative water sources. The situation highlights the vulnerability of Gauteng's water infrastructure and the need for ongoing maintenance and investment to ensure a reliable water supply for all residents.
