Johannesburg – A major 86-hour maintenance shutdown by Rand Water, commencing at 7:00 am today, Friday, is set to severely impact water supply across large swathes of Johannesburg and surrounding areas.
The work, affecting the crucial Zwartkopjes and Eikenhof water systems, will leave residents and businesses in several areas without water for a significant period.
Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo explained the timing of the maintenance, stating, “The maintenance work is typically scheduled during periods of low demand. December is particularly suitable for such work due to the closure of industries and by extension, the temporary depopulation of Gauteng province as residents travel for holidays. This timing also allows for quicker system recovery once the maintenance is completed. Rand Water has issued a 21-day notice to all affected municipal customers and industries.”
However, this explanation offers little comfort to residents already grappling with intermittent water supply. The Water Community Action Network (WaterCAN) has voiced serious concerns, highlighting the potential for prolonged water shortages.
Executive Manager Dr Ferrial Adam warned, “Problem is for the last two to three weeks, Joburgers have had intermittent supply of water. When they finish their maintenance, they have to wait for the water to fill up the reservoirs. Our reservoirs are going to run dry quickly because most of them are leaking and it will take days for them to refill that means that people will not have water for an extended period of time because the chances are that over Christmas people are going to have water challenges.”
The areas expected to be affected by this extensive shutdown include:
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Soweto
- Johannesburg central
- Parktown
- Aeroton
The scale of the disruption is significant, particularly given the recent history of water challenges in the region.
Ekurhuleni:
- 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: Specific areas within Katlehong 1 (further details should be sought from the City of Ekurhuleni).
Johannesburg:
- Crown Gardens
- Eagles Nest Reservoir
- Parktown
- Berea
- Forest Hill
- Alan Manor
- Naturena
- Aeroton
- Orlando East
- Hector Norris Pump Station
The City of Ekurhuleni issued a statement outlining the affected areas within its municipal boundaries and pledged to deploy roving water tankers to mitigate the impact.
"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 issued a similar appeal, urging residents to store sufficient water and conserve water during the disruption. Businesses were advised to ensure adequate on-site water storage. The water utility also cautioned that the system may take up to 48 hours to fully stabilise after the maintenance is completed.
The extended 86-hour shutdown announced yesterday significantly compounds these concerns, raising serious questions about the long-term reliability of Johannesburg's water infrastructure and the preparedness of authorities to handle such extensive disruptions, particularly during the peak holiday season.
