Taps in Germiston run dry after fault at pump station

A breaker failure at Rand Water’s Palmiet Pumping Station on November 5 caused widespread water outages, affecting areas across Ekurhuleni, with wards 36 and 92 among the worst hit.

Residents awoke to find taps running dry or with minimal flow.

Ward 92 Clr Kade Guerreiro updated, highlighting the expressed frustration, noting he impact on high-lying areas like Sunnyridge.

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“Our water issues are ongoing. We need Ward 92 to be prioritised with better access to JoJo tanks and timely refills,” he told GCN.

Guerreiro said even matric learners had to wait in water queues instead of studying.

Resident Darren Govendor had to miss work to collect water at Howe Circle.

“We buy water because we don’t trust the JoJo tank supply. It’s a hardship, and we need more transparency,” he said.

Manti Mabitsela, another resident, said her reserve tank quickly empties, forcing her to queue for water despite paying taxes.

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Montelle Shephard, meanwhile, was filling multiple containers to help elderly and disabled neighbours, underscoring the vulnerability of the community.

The CoE reported that repairs were complete on November 6, with pumping capacity restored to 100%.

“Reservoir levels are recovering across the affected areas, though some high-lying spots like the Germiston CBD and Bedfordview still face low pressure as the reservoirs stabilise,” said CoE spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Water was restored to Sunnyridge by November 8.