Major Rand Water maintenance to leave parts of Joburg with low or no water for days

What’s happening and when

Rand Water will carry out planned bulk infrastructure maintenance from 29 May to 02 June 2026 (96 hours), a programme that will reduce or cut water supply to several Johannesburg Water systems, with work also scheduled for 17 July 2026. Residents may experience poor pressure to no water during the maintenance period.

Scope and purpose of the work

Johannesburg Water confirmed the scope of the disruption, the Citizen reports. According to the utility, the maintenance is intended

“to improve plant availability, reliability and efficiencies towards a more flexible system.”

Which systems and locations will be affected

The works target Rand Water’s Vereeniging, Zuikerbosch and Zwartkopjes systems and will affect at least eight Johannesburg Water supply systems: Midrand, Randburg, Roodepoort, Soweto, Deep South, Commando, Sandton and Central.

Among specific Midrand areas listed are Kyalami Estate, Halfway House, Steyn City, Noordwyk, Ivory Park Ext. (All), Diepsloot A.H., Riverglen, Rabie Ridge and Grand Central Ext. (All). Randburg areas named include Honeydew, North Riding, Northcliff Ext. (All), Randpark, Linden, Bryanston Ext 3 & 5, Cosmo City Ext. (All) and Sundowner. Roodepoort areas include Florida, Roodepoort, Little Falls Ext. (All), Ontdekkerspark, Wilgeheuwel, Strubensvallei, Poortview and Radiokop A.H.

Timing and expected service reductions

The most severe impacts are scheduled for 29 May. On that day pumping at Rand Water’s Palmiet Pump Station which feeds the Midrand system will be stopped entirely between 07:00 and 19:00. Pumping is expected to resume at 89% capacity from 30 May through 2 June and return to full capacity at 19:00 on 2 June.

At the Eikenhof Pump Station, which supplies Roodepoort and Randburg, pumping on 29 May from 07:00 to 19:00 will be reduced to 91%, returning to 100% from 30 May to 2 June.

Additional works at Zwartkopjes will affect Crown Gardens, Eagles Nest, Aeroton, Forest Hill and Parktown. The Vereeniging valve replacement will see pumping at 67% for 23 hours, while a Forest Hill valve replacement will result in no supply to the Forest Hill meter for 40 hours.

Preparing for the outage and alternative supply

Joburg Water urged residents not to wait until the last moment to prepare, the Citizen reports, and encouraged storing water in advance rather than drawing down the system on the eve of the maintenance. The utility also confirmed that water tankers will be deployed and that arrangements for alternative water supply will be made at strategic points within affected areas.

The Citizen adds that engagements with Ward Councillors are also scheduled for this week to appraise them on the planned maintenance and to coordinate the distribution of alternative water supply within the affected areas.

Recovery timeline and what to expect afterwards

Joburg Water warned: “Please note that after each maintenance has been completed, it will take several days for the system to fully recover, and for normal water supply to return.” The utility and social notices under the #RandWaterMaintenance2026 tag stressed that full recovery may take several days post completion.

The July phase of the maintenance set for 17 July 2026 will bring a further round of reductions that will affect Sandton, Linksfield, Randjeslaagte, South Hills, Crown Gardens, Alan Manor, Aeroton, Eagles Nest, Parktown, parts of the Commando system, Randburg, Roodepoort and Soweto. During that phase Palmiet pumping will be reduced to 78% and Eikenhof to 50%.

Key takeaways

• 29 May–02 June 2026: 96-hour Rand Water maintenance affecting several Joburg systems.
• Prepare early: store water in advance and expect low or no pressure in affected areas.
• Alternative supply: Johannesburg Water will deploy tankers and coordinate distribution points.
• Recovery: full restoration of normal supply may take several days after work finishes.