Johannesburg Water (JW) commenced the final commissioning of the new Brixton reservoir, tower and pump station complex on March 2, as the technical team continues to address snags in the system.

As part of the standard commissioning and quality assurance process, the reservoir was temporarily drained in a controlled manner to allow for final internal cleaning and compliance checks. The water was safely discharged through the existing outlet infrastructure in accordance with operational protocols.

Once cleaning is complete, the reservoir will be refilled, and a final round of water quality sampling will be undertaken in line with regulatory requirements before full integration into the network.

The project is a landmark development set to significantly strengthen water security within the Commando System. This milestone marks a major step toward ensuring a reliable, sustainable water supply for communities that have long been affected by shortages.

JW’s managing director, Ntshavheni Mukwevho, said the Commando System is always the hardest hit by water interruptions on the Eikenhof System due to economic growth and development, ageing infrastructure, and other factors.

“This has been evident with recent increased water interruption issues in this region, with some residents going for a long time without water. By increasing storage capacity and enhancing pumping capability, the new infrastructure will stabilise supply and build resilience within one of the city’s most pressured systems,” he said.

The Commando System supplies water to areas such as Coronationville, Westbury, Claremont, Bosmont, Sophiatown, Brixton, Melville, Emmarentia, Auckland Park, Greenside Westdene, Parktown West, Fordsburg, Mayfair, Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph hospitals, as well as key institutions such as the University of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand and SABC.

This project forms part of JW’s ongoing efforts to ensure a consistent, long-term water supply through the upgrading of existing infrastructure and the provision of new infrastructure to create additional capacity that supports higher-density settlements.

As Johannesburg continues to grow, strategic investments such as these are essential to future-proofing the city’s water network.

Mukwevho mentioned that the commissioning of the Brixton reservoir, tower, and pump station is more than just an infrastructure milestone – it is a symbol of progress, resilience, and service delivery in action. It reflects JW’s commitment to restoring confidence, improving reliability, and delivering tangible solutions that directly improve residents’ quality of life.

JW would thanked residents for their continued patience during periods of disruption. With this major upgrade now complete, the entity is confident that the water shortage issues customers in this region have faced will soon be a thing of the past. Further updates are expected as further smaller aspects of the total project are concluded.