Rand Water has announced ongoing major maintenance work impacting water supply across Johannesburg and parts of the North West province, with disruptions expected to persist in the coming days.
Maintenance Progress and Impact
Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo provided an update on the extensive infrastructure maintenance, which began on May 29 with the cleaning of reservoirs, valve replacements, and meter installations. The first phase focused on the SE Reservoir, with a brief pause to allow system recovery before the second phase commenced.
The current phase involves critical work on two key bulk water supply systems:
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Eikenhof System (affecting Johannesburg): Reduced pumping capacity (600 megalitres per day) for 48 hours, but supply will not be completely halted.
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Zuurbekom System: No pumping for 50 hours, leaving areas reliant on this system without water until July 2 at 7 a.m.
Affected Areas
The maintenance impacts several regions, including:
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Johannesburg: Soweto, Randburg, Roodepoort, Lenasia, Crown Gardens, Commando System, Brixton, Hurst Hill, and Crosby.
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North West Province: Rustenburg, Royal Bafokeng, Mogale City, and parts of Madibeng.
Maroo assured residents that Rand Water is coordinating with municipalities to mitigate shortages, particularly in Zuurbekom-dependent zones, where water tankers will be deployed.
Infrastructure Improvements and Future Plans
Despite the disruptions, Maroo highlighted progress in infrastructure reliability, including increased capacity from Station Five at the Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant. However, he emphasized that annual winter maintenance is necessary to prepare for high-demand seasons.
“Rand Water operates 60 reservoirs, and regular cleaning and valve replacements are essential to prevent larger failures,” he explained.
Recovery Timeline
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Zuurbekom System: Expected to resume full operation by July 2.
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Eikenhof System: Reduced pumping to last 48 hours from start time.
Residents are urged to conserve water and check municipal updates for alternative supply arrangements. Rand Water apologizes for the inconvenience but stresses that the work is vital for long-term service stability.
For real-time updates, follow Rand Water’s official communications channels.
