News

Palmiet Water System Restarts but Many Tshwane Areas Still Face Low Pressure

Published

2 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Chiraag

Palmiet water system recovery, Tshwane water supply update, Rand Water maintenance impact, Pretoria water pressure issues, City of Tshwane tankers, Joburg ETC

Palmiet water system slowly comes back online, but some areas still waiting

After days of dry taps and mounting frustration, there is finally movement in Tshwane’s Palmiet water system. The City of Tshwane has confirmed that water is flowing back into the network following the completion of Rand Water’s scheduled maintenance. The relief, however, is not being felt equally across the metro.

Instead of a clean switch back to normal supply, the system is recovering in stages. Some neighbourhoods are seeing pressure stabilise, while others remain stuck with weak flow or no water at all. For residents who have been tracking every rumour on WhatsApp groups and community Facebook pages, the uneven return has been both hopeful and exasperating.

Why the recovery is taking time

According to the city, the Palmiet system is vast and technically complex. When supply resumes after major maintenance, reservoirs do not refill at the same speed. Water has to move through the network gradually, building enough pressure to recharge reservoirs, especially those that serve higher-lying areas.

This means that even though water is back in the system, pressure must first stabilise before taps can run normally. Elevated communities are often the last to benefit, a reality many Tshwane residents have come to know all too well during previous outages.

Where things are improving

There is some good news. The city says steady progress has been recorded in The Reeds and Louwlardia, as well as areas supplied by the Soshanguve DD Reservoirs and the Atteridgeville Low Level Reservoir. In these zones, supply and pressure are gradually evening out as the system gains strength.

Residents in these areas have started reporting more consistent flow, although many are still cautious about celebrating too soon, given how quickly pressure can drop again.

Areas still struggling with low pressure

Other communities remain under pressure, quite literally. Areas supplied by the Kruisfontein Reservoir, Soshanguve L Reservoir, Laudium Reservoir, and the Atteridgeville High Level Reservoir continue to experience slow recovery. Lotus Gardens, Kosmosdal, and Sunderland Ridge are also among the areas still dealing with low pressure.

The city has attributed these delays largely to elevation challenges and the time required for the broader network to fully recharge. For households in these zones, daily routines remain disrupted, with residents continuing to rely on stored water and neighbourly favours.

Water tankers step in as a stopgap

To ease the strain, the municipality has deployed water tankers and bowsers to the hardest-hit communities. These alternative supply measures are being coordinated on the ground, with priority given to areas experiencing the most severe shortages.

While tankers are never an ideal solution, they have become a familiar sight during prolonged water disruptions. Social media reactions have been mixed, with some residents grateful for the support and others questioning why such interventions are still necessary so frequently.

What happens next

The City of Tshwane says it is closely monitoring reservoir levels and overall system behaviour, with expectations that pressure will continue to improve over the coming days. Officials have also issued an apology for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their patience as the system stabilises.

For now, the message is one of cautious optimism. Water is moving again, but full recovery will take time. Until then, Tshwane residents are being urged to use water sparingly and to stay informed as updates continue to roll out.