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No End in Sight: Gauteng’s Water Woes Drag On as Maintenance Disruptions Continue

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3 months ago

June 2, 2025

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Water is something most of us take for granted — until it stops flowing. Right now, thousands of households across Gauteng are living that reality, as planned maintenance by Rand Water stretches into its second day with no clear end in sight. The scheduled 107-hour shutdown is part of the B16 infrastructure upgrade, but for many, the taps have run dry and patience is running thinner by the hour.

When Maintenance Meets a Thirsty Province

The disruption isn’t just a Joburg issue. It’s widespread, touching the City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Midvaal, Emfuleni, Govan Mbeki, Victor Khanye, and Thembisile Hani municipalities. These areas are now deep into day two of Rand Water’s four-day project — and while the utility insists the work is on schedule, life on the ground feels anything but normal.

Rand Water’s Makenosi Maroo offered some reassurance, saying progress on the project has been steady overnight. But try telling that to the families hauling buckets to water tankers or the small businesses struggling to stay open without basic sanitation.

Joburg Water Scrambles to Manage the Fallout

With pressure dropping and supply tanks struggling to keep up, Joburg Water has had to step in with what it calls “necessary interventions.” These include closing some outlets overnight to give reservoirs a chance to build capacity again.

The Doornkop Reservoir, for example, had to be shut off completely due to a dangerous combination of poor pressure and zero water availability. Even areas with “fair” reservoir levels like Orange Farm, Ennerdale, Lawley, and parts of Lenasia are hanging in a fragile balance.

Things aren’t much better for those relying on the Deep South system either. High demand has pushed that network to the brink, forcing Joburg Water to make tough calls on how best to stretch what little is left.

Kensington and Bruma Left Dry Again

According to WaterCAN’s Ferrial Adam, some areas such as Kensington and Bruma were already struggling before this maintenance started, due to issues linked to a recent pipe burst. The Alexander Reservoir, which feeds those suburbs, wasn’t pumping at full strength, leaving locals without water for longer than anticipated.

Other pockets of the city have been hit just as hard. Parts of Pretoria, including Equestria, Faerie Glen, Eastlynn, and Waterkloof, have had empty taps, while places like Moreleta seem to be holding on — for now.

Pressure Mounts in Tshwane

In Tshwane, the situation is tense. City spokesperson Selby Bokaba had already warned last week that reservoirs in Region 6 and parts of Regions 2 and 3 were critically low. He pleaded with residents to cut back on water use, but the message hasn’t landed as effectively as hoped.

High consumption during maintenance periods puts an unbearable strain on already-pressured systems. Bokaba noted that even the Klipriviersberg Master Reservoir would be isolated for 10 hours for inspection and cleaning, further reducing pumping capacity from the Palmiet system.

It’s a balancing act, and one that doesn’t leave much room for error.

Is There Light at the End of the Pipe?

While Rand Water maintains that everything is going according to plan, for many residents this feels like another chapter in a long story of unreliable infrastructure. Water outages are nothing new in Gauteng, but the frequency and scope of these disruptions are beginning to wear people down.

When public utilities operate at the edge of capacity and depend on perfect execution during every maintenance cycle, the smallest misstep can ripple out into a major crisis. That’s exactly what we’re witnessing: an overburdened system pushed to its limits.

What You Can Do Right Now

While we wait for full restoration, there are a few things you can do:

Stay updated: Follow your local municipality and Joburg Water on social media for updates and locations of water tankers.
Use water wisely: Cut down on non-essential use. Every drop counts when reservoirs are struggling.
Report issues: If your area isn’t receiving the emergency water supply promised, report it immediately to the municipality.

This Can’t Be the New Normal

These outages might be part of a “planned” maintenance schedule, but the frustration they cause is real and urgent. Infrastructure maintenance is necessary, yes — but when residents go days without water, it’s a clear signal that something bigger needs fixing.

If water is life, then making sure it flows reliably shouldn’t feel like a luxury. Gauteng deserves a system that works, rain or shine, maintenance or not.

Don’t stay silent — demand accountability and real solutions from your water providers. Your voice is part of the fix.