Rand Water Emergency Repairs on Burst Pipe Disrupt Water Supply in Johannesburg

Parts of Johannesburg are currently experiencing water shortages as Rand Water carries out emergency repairs on a burst bulk pipeline impacting several water systems across the city.

On Monday, Rand Water announced a temporary shutdown of pumping from the Eikenhof Pump Station to facilitate urgent repairs on the F1/F39 bulk pipeline, which burst recently. This critical repair work has led to disruptions primarily in the West Rand area, with several communities affected by poor water pressure or no water supply at all.

Affected Areas

The following Johannesburg regions are experiencing water supply interruptions:

• Soweto

• Commando System

• Randburg/Roodepoort System

• Deep South

Residents in these zones have reported significant drops in water pressure, with some experiencing complete outages. Rand Water CEO Sipho Mosai, present at the repair site, assured the public that technicians are working hard to fix the burst pipeline. He noted the challenge of repairing the pipe due to the high water pressure and confirmed that all 13 valves feeding the pipe were closed to control the situation. Efforts are ongoing to reduce pressure from the Eikenhof system as well.

?Public Update?
Our Group Chief Executive, Mr @MosaiSipho_ would like to assure our customers that Rand Water’s technical teams and contractors are on site and working tirelessly to repair the F39 pipe burst. @city_mogale @CityofJoburgZA @madibenglocalmu pic.twitter.com/uvCUAzfoj5

— Rand Water (@Rand_Water) May 19, 2025

Water System Status

Johannesburg Water has stated that, overall, water supply systems in the city remain stable, with normal to fair supply levels in most areas. However, reservoirs and towers servicing the Commando, Randburg, Central, Soweto, and Deep South systems are at critical levels. Meanwhile, Midrand and Sandton water systems remain stable.

In collaboration with ward councillors, Johannesburg Water is actively identifying key locations to deploy water tanks to assist residents affected by the supply disruption.

Water Reduction Measures

To manage the strain on the water network and support system recovery, Johannesburg Water has implemented water reduction and throttling since 8 November 2024. This includes halting pumping from certain stations to water towers as part of a broader water restriction program.

Johannesburg Water urges residents to use water sparingly during this period to help stabilize the supply and speed up recovery efforts.

Merafong Water Crisis Deepens as Rand Water Cuts Supply Over R1.2 Billion Debt

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com