Joburg races to restore water as dry taps test residents’ patience

Dry taps, rising frustration and a city under pressure

For many households in Midrand and surrounding parts of Johannesburg, the past few days have been a test of patience and planning. Empty taps, hurried bucket collections and mounting frustration have become part of daily life as water outages continue to disrupt routines across the city.

According to the City of Johannesburg, the problem is not a simple switch-off, but the result of severe strain on the bulk water system following emergency repairs and operational disruptions at key Rand Water facilities. Parts of Tshwane have also felt the knock-on effects, underlining how interconnected Gauteng’s water network really is.

What the city says is happening

Johannesburg MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Jack Sekwaila addressed the issue on Monday while attending to a separate infrastructure problem, a wall collapse in Doornfontein, near the CBD.

He explained that pumping has resumed, but restoring water to affected areas is not immediate.

“The pumping has been done on the Rand Water side,” Sekwaila said. “What is left now is for that volume of water to travel from the water sites to parts of Johannesburg.”

The challenge, he added, is that reservoirs feeding areas like Midrand and Greater Ivory were completely depleted.

“From Klipfontein reservoir and the Rand Water side, the system was empty all the way to Midrand,” he said. “This means recovery could take up to a week.”

Why recovery takes time

While residents often expect water to return as soon as pumping restarts, Sekwaila noted that refilling an empty system is a slow process. Pipes, reservoirs and pressure zones must stabilise before consistent supply can resume.

To speed things up, the city is using a familiar but unpopular tactic: closing outlets overnight.

“People don’t use water at night,” Sekwaila said. “By closing outlets, the system can recover faster.”

This approach, while practical, has sparked mixed reactions online, with residents questioning why water infrastructure remains so vulnerable after years of similar disruptions.

A familiar Joburg story

Water outages are not new to Johannesburg. Rapid urban growth, ageing infrastructure and reliance on bulk suppliers like Rand Water have long left the city exposed when something goes wrong upstream.

On social media, residents have shared images of dry taps, water tankers and makeshift storage solutions, with many asking how informal settlements, schools and clinics are coping during prolonged interruptions.

What residents should expect next

The city has warned that some areas may continue to experience intermittent supply before full restoration. Officials are urging residents to use water sparingly once taps begin running again, to avoid further strain on the recovering system.

For now, Joburg’s message is one of caution and patience even as residents hope this latest disruption becomes a turning point for long-term investment in the city’s water infrastructure.

As one Midrand resident posted online: “We understand repairs happen. But we need a system that doesn’t collapse every time there’s an emergency.”

{Source: EWN}

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