Joburg, Get Your Buckets Ready: Major Planned Water Outages Start This Week

Johannesburg residents across several key regions should brace for a series of planned water disruptions starting this week, as Joburg Water rolls out critical infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. The utility has announced a schedule of outages affecting thousands of households in Regions A, B, C, and F, with some projects stretching into April.

The work, deemed essential for long-term water security, will see supply completely cut or reduced to a trickle in various suburbs. Here’s what you need to know to prepare.

The Immediate Disruptions: This Weekend

• Wilfordon: A single-day shutdown is planned for Monday, 3 February, from 8 AM to 4 PM (8 hours) for pipe integration work.

• Ivory Park Ext 12: Also on 3 February, a complete shutdown from 9 AM to 4 PM (7 hours) will affect numerous streets to relocate infrastructure. Water tankers will be deployed at Ebomini Primary School and on Tjale Street.

• Major Pump Station Upgrade (Regions B & F): The most widespread disruption kicks off on 3 February at 7 AM and runs until 5 February at 4 PM (3 days). Suburbs including Auckland Park, Westbury, Sophiatown, Brixton, Mayfair, and Hursthill will experience low pressure or no water. This is for a critical backup pump station connection.

The Long-Term Project: Reservoir Repairs Until April

Residents in Melville, Emmarentia, Greenside, Westcliff, and Parktown West are in for an extended period of disruption. Structural repairs to a leaking reservoir began on 1 December 2025 and are scheduled to finish on 9 April 2026. While water will be supplied via a bypass, residents can expect ongoing intermittent issues.

Why the Inconvenience?

Joburg Water states the projects are unavoidable for “improved service delivery, continuity of supply, and reduction of water losses.” The pump station upgrade, for instance, will allow for the main station’s refurbishment, while the reservoir fix tackles a critical leak.

The message from the utility is clear: short-term pain for long-term gain. For affected residents, that means planning aheadfilling baths, stocking bottled water, and noting the location of water tankers where provided. As the city’s ageing water infrastructure gets its much-needed overhaul, Johannesburg’s taps will be running on a schedule.

{Source: Citizen}

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