Joburg Water Supply to be Restricted for a Week

Key Takeaways

• Johannesburg residents are bracing for more water outages as Rand Water and Joburg Water begin the third leg of maintenance on their systems.
• The Eikenhoff pumping station will be shut down for 54 hours, leading to low water pressure and limited or no water supplies in several areas.
• Residents have been warned that it could take up to seven days for water supplies to be fully restored.
• The maintenance work will affect several reservoirs, including Roodeport Deep, Meadowlands Reservoir 1 and 2, Fleurhof, Doornkop, and Braamfischer.
• Joburg Water has deployed roaming and stationary tankers to supply the affected areas.

Introduction to the Water Outage
Johannesburg residents have been warned to prepare for more water outages as Rand Water and Joburg Water begin the third leg of maintenance on their systems. This leg of maintenance will see the Eikenhoff pumping station shut down for 54 hours, from 6-8 January 2026, resulting in low water pressure and limited or no water supplies in several areas. The affected areas include those supplied by the Roodeport Deep, Meadowlands Reservoir 1 and 2, Fleurhof, Doornkop, and Braamfischer reservoirs. Residents have been warned that it could take up to seven days for water supplies to be fully restored, which may cause significant inconvenience to households, businesses, and institutions across Johannesburg.

Scope of the Maintenance
At a media briefing held at the Turbine Hall in Newtown on Monday, 5 January, Joburg Water advised that the planned maintenance work would affect several reservoirs, including Roodeport Deep, which supplies Hamberg, Rand Leases, Roodepoort, and Creswell Park. The Meadowlands Reservoir 1 and 2, which supply Meadowlands, Tshepo Themba, Dube, Central Western Jabavu, and Extension 1, Mofolo Central and North, Orlando West, Zondi, and Mmesi Park, will also be affected. Additionally, the Fleurhof reservoir, which supplies Fleurhof, Lea Glen, and surrounding areas, and the Doornkop reservoir, which supplies Eldorado Park, Nancefield, Pimville, and Devland, will be impacted. The Braamfischer reservoir, which supplies Braamfischer, Meadowlands, and Mmesi Park, will also be affected by the maintenance work.

Mitigating the Inconvenience
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said that reservoirs had been filled up to 70% in advance of the maintenance program to manage high demand. Both roaming and stationary tankers will be deployed to supply the affected areas, which should help mitigate the inconvenience caused by the water outages. Morero acknowledged the disruption that this maintenance will cause to households, businesses, and institutions across Johannesburg but emphasized that the work is essential to safeguarding the city’s long-term water security. Joburg Water will continue to work with Rand Water and key stakeholders to manage this maintenance, prioritizing the residents’ interests.

Previous Maintenance Issues
The Phase 1 maintenance period, which took place from 13-15 December, resulted in frustrated residents in areas such as Midrand losing water supply for nearly a week. Daily Maverick reported that during Phase One, parts of the Commando System linked to Hurst Hill 1 and 2 unexpectedly faced outages despite not being scheduled for maintenance. However, Joburg Water said that the Phase Three maintenance plans were smaller in scope and should lead to fewer disruptions. The Phase Two maintenance, originally scheduled for 19-21 December, was halted due to a technical failure and will take place later this year, before June 2026.

Contaminated Tap Water
On 30 December, Joburg Water issued an alert, warning residents of water supplies contaminated by sewage along Albertina Sisulu Road after residents complained about smelly tap water. The contamination affected parts of the Johannesburg CBD and Bezuidenhout Valley. Morero said that the contaminated water system had since been flushed with chlorine, and the affected manhole and pipe had been fixed. A later advisory, published by Joburg Water on 5 January, said that the most recent testing did not detect E. Coli at any sampling points, confirming that there is "currently no evidence of faecal contamination" in the affected area. However, the sampling showed higher than normal levels of coliform bacteria, which are typically found in soil, water, and human and animal digestive tracts. As a result, water supplies in the affected area have been restricted while Joburg Water chlorinates the area.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the water outages in Johannesburg are a significant issue that affects many residents, businesses, and institutions. The maintenance work on the Eikenhoff pumping station and other reservoirs is essential to ensure the long-term water security of the city. While the outages may cause inconvenience, Joburg Water is working to mitigate the disruption by deploying roaming and stationary tankers to supply the affected areas. The city’s efforts to address the contaminated tap water issue are also underway, with the contaminated water system having been flushed with chlorine and the affected manhole and pipe fixed. Residents are advised to be patient and to take necessary precautions to ensure their water safety during this time.