Dry taps expected in parts of Joburg as Rand Water maintenance begins

Johannesburg residents have been urged to prepare for low water pressure and possible supply interruptions as Rand Water enters the third and final phase of its planned infrastructure maintenance — a shutdown expected to place additional strained on already pressured reservoirs.

Briefing the media on Monday, the bulk water utility confirmed that Phase Three of the maintenance will begin on Tuesday morning and run until Thursday afternoon, affecting several key reservoirs across the city.

Johannesburg Water says Bramsfischer, Doornkop, Meadowlands and Fleurhof reservoirs – each with storage capacities of between 20 and 30 megalitres – are expected to operate under strain during the maintenance period.

Water levels at these reservoirs are likely to fluctuate between normal and low, with officials warning that sustained high demand has reduced the system’s ability to absorb shocks. The reservoirs also cannot be filled beyond 70% capacity, limiting their buffering ability during the shutdown.

Johannesburg Water has confirmed that no throttling was implemented in the two weeks leading up to the maintenance, a factor expected to further increase pressure on the system.

As part of the shutdown protocols, the outlet at the Doornkop Reservoir will be closed overnight a day before the shutdown begins. Once levels drop to between one and one-and-a-half metres — depending on reservoir size — all outlets will be closed.

Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has cautioned that water supply will not be restored immediately once maintenance concludes on Thursday, warning that the system could take several days to stabilise.

To mitigate widespread disruptions, Johannesburg Water has activated alternative water supply measures in affected areas, including Soweto and Roodepoort.

In Soweto, 27 outsourced mobile tankers and 42 stationary tanks have been deployed across 16 wards, with filling points at  Klipspruit, Devland and the Hamburg Depot.

In Roodepoort, 16 mobile tankers and 25 stationary tanks have been rolled out across two wards, with additional filling points at the Hamburg Depot and along Westlake Road near the Constantia Reservoir.

Rand Water says the intervention forms part of its long-term infrastructure investment programme, aimed at strengthening system capacity, reducing unplanned outages and improving water security across the province.

The utility has assured residents that all stationary tanks are thoroughly cleaned before installation and every two weeks thereafter, while mobile tankers are regularly sampled and tested to meet national water quality standards.

Johannesburg Water operations manager, Gugulethu Quma, said contingency plans are in place should the maintenance take longer than expected, with tanker routes and tank locations adjusted based on demand and community feedback.

The current maintenance programme follows a recent sewage contamination incident that affected parts of Johannesburg’s CBD, reigniting concerns about ageing infrastructure and water safety.

The incident was triggered by a burst steel water pipe near a sewer manhole at the corner of 10th Avenue and Albertina Sisulu Road. During repair work on 29 December, a blocked sewer manhole overflowed, spilling sewage into an excavation trench and contaminating the damaged water pipe.

Residents reported a sewage smell coming from their taps, prompting Johannesburg Water to isolate the affected line, remove water meters at impacted properties and issue a warning against using the water.

Emergency tankers were deployed while sewer blockages were cleared and repairs completed on 30 December. The system was then flushed and water samples sent for laboratory testing.

Initial test results showed non-compliance across all sampling points, however follow-up tests indicated gradual improvement, narrowing the affected area to several streets between 6th and 10th Avenues along Albertina Sisulu Road and 10th Street.

As of Sunday, only two of the seven sampling points remained non-compliant, with bulk dosing currently underway as an added precaution.

Mayor Morero has acknowledged that the cost of repairing the CBD’s ageing infrastructure is so high that authorities are considering a full system replacement rather than continued patchwork repairs.

Johannesburg Water says its monitoring systems enabled early detection of the contamination and that further flushing and testing will continue to ensure full compliance with national drinking water standards and to protect the city’s Blue Drop status.

Residents are urged to use water sparingly throughout the maintenance period, with officials warning that excessive consumption could worsen supply interruptions before the system fully stabilises.

Johannesburg Water ready for final phase of #RandWaterMaintenance #JoburgUpdates #JoburgWater ^N pic.twitter.com/Jm1BUvzwPV

— Johannesburg Water (@JHBWater) January 5, 2026

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe