Latest news with #RandWater
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Water outages continue in Gauteng due to maintenance
Joburg Water also warned residents who receive water from the Deep South system that high demand was constraining the system. It is unclear when water will return to the thousands of households across Gauteng affected by Rand Water's 107-hour planned maintenance. Parts of the City of Tshwane, City of Ekurhuleni, Midvaal Local Municipality, Emfuleni Local Municipality, Govan Mbeki Local Municipality, Victor Khanye Local Municipality, and Thembisile Hani Local Municipality were without water by day two of the four-day planned maintenance yesterday. Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo said Rand Water reported that progress on the B16 project had been steady throughout the night and remained on track for completion as scheduled. 'Necessary interventions' Joburg Water warned residents that it would put in necessary interventions, including closing outlets. An alternate water supply had been arranged to assist with the recovery and restoration process. 'While many of the reservoirs had fair supply and capacity with poor pressure due to high demand, the Doornkop Reservoir was constrained and the outlet was closed due to poor pressure and no water.' ALSO READ: Tshwane's water warning to residents Joburg Water also warned residents who receive water from the Deep South system that high demand was constraining the system. 'The system improved and supplied throughout the day, but is declining. Joburg Water is putting in the necessary intervention, including closing outlets overnight to build capacity.' Joburg Water also indicated that the Orange Farm Reservoir, Ennerdale Reservoir, Lawley Reservoir, Lenasia Hospital Hill and Lenasia High Level were at fair capacity. WaterCAN's Ferrial Adam said: 'The Alexander reservoir that feeds Kensington and Bruma was not pumping at the right pressure and they had to sort it out, which meant that area didn't have water. 'There were other low reservoirs linked to the Rand Water pipe burst that happened about two to three weeks ago,' Adam said. ALSO READ: 21-day water outage in Joburg set to begin Friday In Tshwane in most areas expected to be affected, taps ran dry with residents taking to social media for updates on where to collect water. Equestria, Faerie Glen, Eastlynn and Waterkloof reported dry taps, while residents in Moreleta had water. Water outage warning City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba last week warned residents of Region 6 and some parts of Regions 2 and 3 to urgently reduce water consumption as the levels of the reservoirs supplying these areas were dropping significantly. ALSO READ: Municipal water crisis 'nothing to do with bulk water supply', says minster at LHWP reopening Bokaba said continued high consumption was likely to put consumers at risk of having no water from today until the work was completed. 'The high volume of consumption is also putting the city's distribution network and Rand Water systems under severe pressure,' he said. Bokaba reminded customers that the water utility would also isolate the Klipriviersberg Master Reservoir from the Palmiet system for 10 hours from tomorrow. 'This is to allow the water utility's technicians to clean and conduct an inspection on the reservoir. During this period, pumping will be reduced to 67% at the Palmiet station. 'The City of Tshwane apologises for the inconvenience as a result of the abovementioned maintenance work,' Bokaba added. NOW READ: Gauteng residents warned to brace for major water disruptions this week
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Good news: Relief as Mapleton pumping resumes
Water supply is slowly returning to parts of Pretoria after officials confirmed the completion of the B16 infrastructure project and the resumption of pumping operations at the Mapleton booster station. While relief is in sight for residents affected by a four-day outage, authorities have cautioned that the system requires time to stabilise, and full restoration will occur in phases. Rand Water announced on Monday morning that the has been completed and that pumping at Mapleton has commenced. 'Water supply is not restored immediately following the completion of maintenance as the system needs to build capacity.' It furthermore said low-lying areas recover first, while high-lying areas generally take longer. 'Recovery is influenced by demand, so we urge residents whose water supply has been restored to use water sparingly as supply resumes. 'Thank you for your patience and cooperation as the system recovers.' A water outage lasting over four days affected large parts of the city due to planned maintenance on the city's water infrastructure. Residents had been advised to store water and take necessary precautions ahead of time. From 29 May to 2 June 2025, numerous areas across Pretoria were left without water. The Tshwane Metro had urged residents to prepare in advance for the disruption. According to the Tshwane Metro, Rand Water carried out maintenance work on its Mapleton and Palmiet systems, which supply water to Tshwane. The major maintenance work took four and a half days to complete, running from Thursday, May 29, to June 2, 2025. According to the statement, the water utility had forewarned Tshwane that there would be no pumping from its system for the duration of the work. Also read: Pretoria crime stats: Everything you need to know Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
a day ago
- General
- IOL News
Johannesburg's water woes and the quest for dignity
Despite Johannesburg being one of South Africa's wealthiest metropolitan municipalities, with a budget of R80.3 billion in the previous financial year, the water crisis persists, says the writer. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers South Africa's economic engine, Johannesburg - water, the most basic necessity, is becoming a luxury where many residents across the city have woken up to dry taps, empty buckets, and a growing sense of despair. The water crisis gripping the City of Johannesburg is not just an infrastructure failure—it is a humanitarian emergency threatening the dignity, health, and livelihood of millions. The crisis did not begin overnight. Years of underinvestment in infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, climate change, and governance failures have culminated in a perfect storm. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Reservoirs are running dry, pipes are bursting from neglect, and power failures at pumping stations have crippled already fragile water supply systems. In areas such as Brixton, Hursthill, and parts of Soweto and the south, residents have faced water outages stretching over several days or even weeks, forcing them to queue for water from roaming tankers or rely on unsafe alternative sources. Joburg Water has called on residents to use water sparingly as it is experiencing severe pressure at the reservoirs and towers due to increased water consumption. Image: Bhekikhaya Mabaso / Independent Newspapers For many, the turning point came in early 2024, when Rand Water—the bulk supplier for Gauteng—warned that demand had begun to consistently outstrip supply. With reservoirs unable to recover due to excessive consumption and frequent load shedding hampering pump stations, the system buckled under pressure. The city was forced to impose rolling water outages in an attempt to manage dwindling resources. Joburg Mayor, Dada Morero, has stepped up to confront the growing crisis head-on. In recent statements, Morero acknowledged that the city's infrastructure is operating beyond capacity and must undergo an urgent overhaul. He has outlined a multi-phase recovery plan, including the replacement of aging water mains, better pressure management systems, and the use of smart meters to reduce water losses. The city is also ramping up public education campaigns to encourage residents to reduce consumption, emphasising that the crisis is a shared burden. In 2023, Rand Water had pledged to invest R28 billion over the next decade to upgrade its infrastructure and build new reservoirs to increase supply. The water utility emphasised the need for a shift in consumption behaviour, pointing out that Gauteng residents consume, on average, 300 liters of water per person per day—nearly double the global average. Rand Water is working closely with municipalities to implement technical upgrades and manage water distribution more equitably. Furthermore, President Cyril Ramaphosa has also weighed in, calling the situation 'deeply concerning' and promising national support. During a visit to the city council earlier this year, Ramaphosa affirmed that water security is now a priority for the national government. Ramaphosa announced that he would introduce the presidential task team to help the city tackle its problems, especially now that the G20 summit will be held in Johannesburg. 'We are proposing the establishment of the presidential Johannesburg working group. What this means is that the situation here in Johannesburg has led you to invite the president into your council chamber. I am now here. 'We are going to work together to rebuild Johannesburg and take it back to its glory days,' Ramaphosa said. Last week, The 38-kilometre tunnel, Ash River which runs from Lesotho to South Africa via the Free State, was officially opened by the Department of Water led by Minister Pemmy Majodina and Sanitation, Free State Government and other state holders. This was the Lesotho Highlands Water Project which was created to provide water in the country to curb the water shortage. WARNING: Video contains swearing at the end Speaking to IOL, ActionSA said it was gravely concerned about the current man-made water crisis that has plagued the city. The party has been vocal about the water crisis in the city since they joined the council. 'The R27 billion infrastructure backlog has been on our radar for a very long time. The water crisis is, however, as a result of years of neglect,' chairperson of EISD, Vhengani Munyayi said. Munyayi stated that the issue was not just poor coordination among key stakeholders, but a mere lack of oversight and lack of appetite to address this issue. 'From the explanation we get from Rand Water, it is evident that they supply enough water to Joburg Water, however, aging dams that lose water, pipes that lose water coupled with illegal water connection is a challenge,' he said.
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Citizen
Gauteng water outage: Here's how long it could take water to be restored after maintenance
The maximum restoration timeline means that even after maintenance work concludes on 21 July, some areas may not see normal water supply return until early August. Johannesburg residents face a challenging period ahead as major water infrastructure maintenance work is set to disrupt supplies across multiple areas from early June through July, with water restoration potentially taking up to two weeks after each maintenance phase concludes. Rand Water will undertake extensive maintenance operations from 3 June to 21 July 2025, affecting several Johannesburg Water systems and leaving residents with reduced pressure or complete water outages during the seven-week period. The bulk water supplier's infrastructure work will impact critical supply systems serving areas from Sandton to Soweto. Johannesburg Water has warned residents that recovery will not be immediate once maintenance concludes. 'After each maintenance has been completed, it will take maximum 14 days for the system to fully recover, and for normal water supply to return,' the utility stated. Preparation efforts underway With the extensive maintenance period approaching, Johannesburg Water is urging residents to begin water storage preparations immediately. The utility said it would establish alternative water supply points at strategic locations within residential areas, though residents are strongly encouraged to store water independently to reduce strain on the system. 'Residents can store water a few days before the start of the maintenance, to ease the impact on reservoirs & towers,' Johannesburg Water advised. It recommended the use of clean containers with tight lids stored in cool, dark places, with consideration for pets and cooking needs. ALSO READ: Rand Water spends R400m yearly on maintenance as 107-hour winter programme begins Palmiet system disruption The maintenance schedule begins with work on the Palmiet System on 3 June 2025. It will affect: Sandton Systems, Alexander Park Reservoir, South Hills Tower, Randjieslaagte Reservoir, Linksfield Reservoir, and Midrand Systems. This initial phase will run from 06:00 to 16:00 on 3 June, involving Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection, reducing pumping capacity to 67 percent for ten hours. ALSO READ: Municipal water crisis 'nothing to do with bulk water supply', says minster at LHWP reopening Extended Eikenhof system maintenance The most significant disruption will affect the Eikenhof System, serving the Commando System including: Hursthill, Brixton and Crosby areas, Lenasia Systems, Randburg and Roodepoort Systems, Soweto Systems, Crown Gardens Reservoir, Eagles Nest Reservoir, and Aeroton Reservoir. This maintenance will occur in two phases, both beginning on 30 June 2025 at 05:00. The first phase, concluding on 2 July at 05:00, involves pipe leak repairs at the Rand Water Zuikerbosch Plant. During this period, pumping will cease entirely for six hours, then increase to 50 percent capacity for 42 hours, before reaching 80 percent for the remaining 19 days. Simultaneously, a second Eikenhof System maintenance operation will run until 21 July 2025, focusing on cleaning sedimentation tanks at the Rand Water Vereeniging Plant. This work will follow the same pumping reduction schedule, with no pumping for six hours, followed by 50 percent capacity for 42 hours, then 80 percent for the remainder of the period. ALSO READ: Gauteng residents warned to brace for major water disruptions this week Zwartkojes system work The Zwartkojes System will experience complete pumping cessation during valve replacement work at Zwartkopjes Station from 30 June at 05:00 until 2 July at 07:00. This will affect: Crown Gardens, Eagles Nest Reservoir, Parktown, Berea, Forrest Hill, Alan Manor, Naturena, and Hector Norris Pump Station areas. The extended recovery period following maintenance completion represents a significant challenge for residents. The maximum 14-day restoration timeline means that even after maintenance work concludes on 21 July, some areas may not see normal water supply return until early August. NOW READ: 21-day water outage in Joburg set to begin Friday
The Citizen
3 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Water Crisis Update: Malvern Residents Face Hardship
After 'The Citizen's enquiries, residents said a water truck came to the area on Thursday afternoon to provide relief. Residents in Malvern and Kensington in Johannesburg have been without constant water supply for several months. With a planned 21-day water maintenance outage currently underway in many parts of the Gauteng province, residents say it will only hurt their pockets more than their current situation. The Citizen visited the area this week and heard how residents are still paying high water and electricity bills for services they are not getting. 'My water bill from last month is R7 000 but we don't have water,' Terrence Martincich said. A neighbour, Angelica Gerber, added, 'When you open the tap, it's air coming out of the pipes. So we are paying for air, not water.' WATCH: Angelica of Malvern expressing concern over the current water issues. ALSO READ: 21-day water outage in Joburg set to begin Friday The struggle to get water Another resident, identified as Aveshen, expressed how this situation has been negatively affecting his life. 'For the past few months, the water has been going off. It comes back in the morning. The pressure is low and we're struggling to bath or fill up the geyser', he said. He explained that the low-pressure water that comes in the morning is gone again by midday. He said he only sees the promised water truck if there are complaints in the community WhatsApp groups. Petition handed to the Human Rights Commmission 'The real culprits are Joburg Water and Rand Water, residents are the victims', the DA's Jack Bloom to The Citizen. In February, he submitted a petition to the Human Rights Commission, claiming the situation also violates the residents' human rights. 'We handed in the complaint and they [the commission] haven't got back to us', he said. City of Joburg respond MMC of the Environment and Infrastructure Department Cllr Jack Sekwaila expressed concern about the ongoing water challenge that affect many areas in the city, including Bertrams, Kensington and Berea. Sekwaila said technical teams from both Rand Water and Johannesburg Water were on site to inspect a pipeline in the area and search for airlocks. They discovered some leaks, which they started addressing. They have reported the water levels at the Alexander Park reservoir to be improving following the site inspection 'We will continue to provide updates on the recovery process until the system is fully restored. 'Additionally, I would like to apologise to all affected residents for the inconvenience caused by this outage, and I assure you that we will continue to provide water through alternative supply methods until the system is fully functional', said Sekwaila. After The Citizen's enquiries, residents said a water truck came to the area on Thursday afternoon to provide relief. However, the truck apparently left frantically while pouring water and allegedly almost drove over residents. Councillors have committed to bringing the matter to the authorities.
