Key Takeaways:

• Johannesburg residents can expect interrupted water supply over the festive season due to maintenance work by Rand Water
• The maintenance will run from 13 December 2025 to 8 January 2026 and will affect various areas, including Lenasia, Randburg, and Soweto
• Residents can expect reduced water pressure, intermittent water supplies, and full outages in higher-lying and end-of-street areas
• Joburg Water has procured 20 new water tankers to provide alternative sources of water during the maintenance period
• The utility has advised residents to use water responsibly and has provided tips on how to conserve water during the summer months

Introduction to the Maintenance Work
Johannesburg residents should prepare for interrupted water supply over the festive season as Rand Water conducts maintenance of its systems. The maintenance will run intermittently between 13 December 2025 and 8 January 2026, and residents of affected reservoirs can expect reduced water pressure, intermittent water supplies, and full outages in higher-lying and end-of-street areas. On Friday, 12 December, Joburg Water held a media briefing to outline the scope of the maintenance work, the expected supply constraints, affected areas, and what mitigation measures are in place to manage the impact.

The Maintenance Plan
Two major water pumping stations, Zuikerbosch and Eikenhof, that serve Johannesburg, Pretoria, and surrounding areas will undergo shutdowns while maintenance work is carried out in three phases. During phase one, Zuikerbosch will be shut down for 48 hours starting from 4am over the weekend of 13-15 December. Phase two will be carried out at Eikenhof over a 54-hour shutdown period from 7pm on 19 December until midnight on 21 December. The third and final phase will also take place at Eikenhof, which will be shut down from 4am on 6 January until 8am on 8 January. Residents can anticipate three- to five-day recovery periods following these shutdowns.

Affected Areas
The Eikenhof shutdown will affect several areas, including Lenasia, Randburg, Roodepoort, parts of Johannesburg central, Soweto, and other surrounding areas. Zuikerbosch is a major water treatment plant that supplies most of Gauteng, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Ekurhuleni, as well as parts of North West. Joburg Water has advised that although the Commando system will not be shut down, it may experience secondary impact from the maintenance work done at Eikenhof.

Mitigation Measures
Joburg Water has put several contingency plans into place, including filling up reservoirs to full capacity by 8 December and identifying water hydrants that could be used as filling points. A key feature in the contingency plan was the procurement of a new fleet of water tankers entirely owned by the City of Johannesburg. The fleet was unveiled during Friday’s briefing, and Joburg Water senior manager of operations Randhir Singh said that the entity had procured 20 water tankers, 16 of which had already been delivered and would be deployed to affected areas over the maintenance period.

Water Tanker Deployment
For the first round of maintenance, scheduled to start on 13 December, Joburg Water would need 78 water tankers to provide alternative sources in affected areas. The requirements would taper down for the remaining phases, with phase two requiring 62 water tankers, and phase three, the smallest maintenance, requiring only 26 tankers. Singh said that the utility had purchased 20 tankers, with 16 already on hand, and had commissioned additional tankers from contractors, bringing the total to over 80.

Previous Maintenance Issues
In 2024, maintenance work on the Eikenhof and Zwartkopjes reservoirs experienced delays, leaving taps dry for longer than anticipated. Maintenance delays have been an ongoing issue, as residents supplied by the Hurst Hill 2 reservoir have been left with inconsistent water supplies following a test run on the reservoir over 1-7 December, before a planned major renewal project to address long-standing structural leakages. Joburg Water has advised that the Hurst Hill 2 reservoir would return to full service in early 2026 with "a more precise commissioning date to be confirmed once the final technical validations and safety assessments are complete".

Water Supply Constraints
Water supplies across South Africa have become severely constrained in recent years, driven by ageing infrastructure and climate change. A report from the Water Research Council found that more than one-third (37%) of water was lost daily to leaks, theft, and waste. If the demand continued at the current rate, it could outstrip available supplies by 17% by 2030. Johannesburg’s water systems are on the verge of collapse, with areas of the city facing outages for days at a time. Frustrated residents of Coronationville and Westbury protested in August over water cuts that lasted more than five days.

Conserving Water
According to the Water Research Council, demand for water peaks during the summer months due to higher temperatures, longer days, and increased outdoor water usage in gardens, pools, and car washes. Residents are advised to use water responsibly by limiting shower times, covering swimming pools, watering lawns in the early morning or early evening, and ensuring that taps are switched off fully after use. By taking these simple steps, residents can help conserve water and reduce the impact of the maintenance work on the city’s water supply.