Sandton Pipe Burst Repaired, but Water Supply Woes Continue Across Johannesburg

Repairs are done, but Joburg’s taps aren’t all running yet. Here’s what residents need to know.

Johannesburg residents may have breathed a sigh of relief when the burst pipe in Sandton was finally repaired, but the city’s water woes are far from over. While the damaged pipe on the corner of Pretoria Avenue and Katherine Street has been fixed, full water restoration in the area is still in progress, Johannesburg Water confirmed on Friday.

In a joint update with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the City acknowledged the frustration of residents and business owners. The delay, they said, was due to complex repair logistics, including the need to divert Eskom electrical cables and fix surrounding stormwater infrastructure.

“We regret the protracted delay and assure residents that every effort is being made to fast-track restoration,” read the statement.

Site Visit by Acting Mayor

Acting Mayor and MMC for Transport Kenny Kunene, along with senior city officials, visited the site to assess the damage and track progress. The area had been grappling with road closures, water pooling, and disruption to daily life.

With Eskom’s cable diversions now complete, efforts have shifted to draining groundwater and repairing stormwater systems before the roads and surroundings can be fully reinstated.

Elsewhere in Joburg: Some Progress, Some Pressure

Beyond Sandton, water systems in the south and inner city are also slowly recovering. Joburg Water announced that pumping from the Zwartkopjes system has improved significantly, which has restored full pumping capacity to the Yeoville system as of midnight.

But that doesn’t mean it’s business as usual yet. The system needs time to stabilise, and water tankers are still being deployed to affected communities.

The Forest Hill system has now been reactivated, a promising sign that pressure is being restored to other key reservoirs and towers.

Areas Still Affected by Low Pressure or Outages

The following areas are still experiencing low water pressure or no water at all:

• Yeoville Reservoir

• Forest Hill Tower

• Berea Reservoir

• Moffat View

• Hector Norris Pump Station

• Oakdene, Glenvista, Glenanda, Crown Gardens, Inner City

• Parktown 2 Reservoir

Meanwhile, Joburg Water’s Randburg and Roodepoort systems remain under strain, with critical levels reported at:

• Linden 1 Reservoir

• Honeydew Tower

• Helderkruin Reservoir

• Quellerina, Waterval, and Constantia Towers

Systems such as Cosmo City, Linden 2, and Robertville are faring better and supplying adequately, but the city remains on high alert.

Water Tankers Still on Standby

As a precaution, water tankers remain on standby and are being dispatched to neighbourhoods most affected by the supply crisis. Joburg Water says it is monitoring all systems and will intervene as needed to support recovery.

The latest infrastructure setback has again highlighted the fragility of Johannesburg’s water systems and the ripple effects of a single burst pipe on an entire urban network. While repairs are underway and some systems are recovering, frustration continues to build among residents who’ve gone days without running water.

As the city heads into another dry weekend, all eyes will be on Johannesburg Water’s ability to stabilise systems quickly, and on city leaders to prevent future infrastructure failures before they escalate into full-blown crises.

Stay tuned for live updates and water tanker schedules via @JHBWater on X (formerly Twitter) or the City of Johannesburg website.

{Source: The Citizen}

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