Local councillors provided clarity on the trio of Rand Water shutdowns, set to place renewed strain on Johannesburg’s already-vulnerable Commando system.

Councillors Nicolene Jonker (Ward 88), Kyle Jacobs (Ward 87), Chantelle Fourie-Shawe (Ward 86), and Genevieve Sherman (Ward 69) attended a joint Johannesburg Water (JW) and Rand Water briefing on December 8, where they were walked through what residents can expect in the weeks ahead.

Rand Water confirmed three major shutdowns on the horizon: A 48-hour Zuikerbosch maintenance window from December 13–15, followed by two 54-hour Eikenhof shutdowns from December 19 to 21, and again from January 6 to 8.

Read more: Johannesburg Water warns of lack of water supply as repairs on Hursthill 2 reservoir begin

While the Commando system itself is not the focus of the direct work, JW warned that the interconnected nature of the water network means secondary impacts are all but guaranteed.

Residents across the Commando supply area have been urged to brace for reduced pressure, intermittent supply, full outages in higher-lying or end-of-line streets, and a three-to-five-day recovery period once pumping resumes. These risks apply to all three shutdowns.

Adding to the uncertainty is the unresolved status of Hursthill 2 (HH2). The councillors inquired to JW yet again for clarity following the recent dummy run, but officials offered no dates and no indication of when – or if – the reservoir will be brought back into service. Councillors say they will alert residents immediately once JW provides a definitive answer.
JW outlined several interventions for the shutdown periods:

• Filling reservoirs to full capacity from December 8,
• Reconfiguring tanker allocations to increase capacity where needed,
• Identifying fire hydrants that can temporarily act as filling points,
• Establishing self-help filling points at depots,
• Tactical security escorts for tankers,
• Closing reservoir outlets early once levels begin to drop,
• Deploying teams to flush airlocks during system recovery, and
• Keeping tankers operational until the system is fully stabilised, not only until pumping resumes.

For wards 69, 86, 87, and 88, JW confirmed what many have feared: The Commando system remains fragile and prone to pressure loss.

Also read: Water woes may soon end with Hursthill 2 reservoir repairs starting on December 1

During each shutdown period, residents should expect intermittent supply, areas dropping off entirely during peak demand, slower return of water in high-pressure-demand zones, and additional delays caused by airlocks after pumping restarts.

Clarification on upcoming Rand Water maintenance
Jacobs said the shutdown is set to affect Soweto and the Lenasia area – including the Power Park, Doornkop, Zondi, Braamfischer, Jabulani, Chiawelo, and Lenasia township reservoirs – which are all expected to experience poor pressure and eventual outages. “JW warned that because these reservoirs form part of an interconnected grid, the strain can spill over into adjacent systems, making secondary impacts on the Commando supply entirely possible.

“Even once pumping resumes, residents should not expect an instant return to normal. JW anticipates a five-day recovery period, with airlocks and post-outage demand likely to prolong the process.”

Preparations are reportedly underway, said Jacobs, with reservoirs being pre-filled and tankers arranged for the shutdown period, but the councillors cautioned that tanker deployment has historically been unreliable, and they are pressing JW for stronger operational commitments this time around.

Residents are urged to store water ahead of each shutdown window, keep taps closed during outages to speed up recovery, log service issues with JW even when the cause is known, and follow ward communication channels for tanker placements and recovery updates.

Further updates will be shared as soon as JW issues new information.

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