Residents across Midrand and parts of Greater Johannesburg woke up to dry taps on January 28, as water supply systems came under severe pressure following emergency repair work and operational disruptions at key Rand Water facilities.

In a statement issued on January 28, Johannesburg Water confirmed that the Midrand water system is currently constrained due to reduced incoming supply. The utility said several interventions are underway, including closing certain outlets to preserve capacity and support the system’s recovery.

Read more: Midrand water supply stabilises for Christmas following Rand Water maintenance

The water challenges follow an earlier statement released on January 27, in which Johannesburg Water announced that Rand Water had begun emergency repair work on a critical pump at the Palmiet Pump Station.

“Repair work at the Palmiet Pump Station by Rand Water commenced at 18:00 on Monday, 26 January 2026, and is expected to continue until this afternoon, Tuesday, 27 January 2026,” stated Johannesburg Water.

The utility warned that pumping operations were significantly reduced during the repair period, potentially resulting in low water pressure and intermittent supply disruptions in affected areas.

“At this stage, the impact is mainly on the Sandton, Midrand, Alexandra, and Diepsloot systems’ performance, but this may change depending on consumption patterns and reservoir levels during the repair period,” the statement added.

Johannesburg Water further revealed that Rand Water experienced an internal power failure at its Zuikerbosch (ZB) pumping station on January 27, compounding the situation.

Also read: Midrand residents hit by power outage days after water disruptions

The power failure affected operations at the Palmiet, Eikenhof, and Zwartkopjes systems, with Palmiet the most severely affected and pumping no water at the time.

As a result, several Midrand suburbs were left without water on January 28, including Midrand Ridge, Crescentwood Country Estate, Crescent Glades Estate, Fountain View, Surrey Hills, and San Ridge Heights, to name a few.

Providing an update on reservoir levels, Johannesburg Water said the Erand Reservoir is currently low, with the Erand Tower on bypass but supplying fairly. The Grand Central Reservoir and tower are also supplying fairly.

However, the situation remains critical in other areas. The Rabie Ridge Reservoir and tower are reported to be critically low, while the President Park Reservoir is also critically low, with the President Park Tower on bypass.

UPDATE:

In response to the ongoing water outages in Midrand and surrounding areas, Michael Sun, the MMC for Public Safety, stated, “We are aware of the water outage affecting our community. Please be assured that our Ward Councillors, Annette Deppe (Ward 132) and Lerato Mphefo (Ward 112), have been in constant communication with Joburg Water regarding this matter.”

He provided the following information based on feedback from Rand Water and Joburg Water: there was a burst pipe at the corner of 5th and Harry Galun Streets in Halfway Gardens, which caused the water outage.

“On January 27, 2026, at approximately 14:00, Rand Water’s Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant experienced a power failure in Engine Room 4, resulting in a temporary shutdown of operations. Zuikerbosch supplies water to the Palmiet, Eikenhof, Mapleton, and Zwartkopjes systems,” said Sun.

“This incident occurred while emergency valve replacement work was still in progress at Palmiet, where the pumping capacity had already been reduced to 85%.”

He said Joburg Water’s communications department will be issuing a formal public update shortly, and that as more information becomes available, the councillors will share updates across all community platforms.

“We have requested Joburg Water to deploy stationary and mobile water tankers to key locations, including critical facilities like clinics. We understand the frustration and inconvenience this situation is causing. Please be assured that we are doing everything possible and will continue to apply pressure on Joburg Water to ensure the water supply is restored urgently. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.”