#RandWaterShutdown: Live updates on the Rand Water outage

It is no exaggeration to say the Rand Water shutdown has been met with panic and frustration in equal measure.

Few residents accepted the necessary maintenance of infrastructure being carried out at a time when so many areas are already experiencing water outages.

Update, July 13:12:16

Water update

Rand Water have just announced that the work at the Eikenhof pumping station has been completed.

🚨WATER UPDATE🚨
We wish to report that the work at Eikenhof pumping station has been completed.#RandWater #PlannedMaintenance #A19Pipeline #B14Pipeline #RW120YearsofExcellence #WaterSustainability [NS]

— Rand Water (@Rand_Water) July 14, 2023

Media statement

• The repairs that were conducted during the planned Rand Water shutdown, from Tuesday, 11 July at 19:00, to Friday morning at 05:00, have been completed and Johannesburg Water systems are gradually recovering.

Here are some of the challenges that Johannesburg Water encountered with the water shutdown:

• The Zwartkopjes repairs, which were supposed to take 24 hours, were only completed at 01:00 on Thursday, 13 July, as opposed to 19:00 on Wednesday, 12 July.
• There was no continuous pumping of the 24% of water at the Eikenhof Booster Station that was supposed to take place throughout the shutdown. There was no pumping on Wednesday night, resulting in Soweto and Lenasia systems being critically low to empty. By Thursday, the Eikenhof system was empty.
• The entity did not get the 300 megalitres of extra water pumping into Johannesburg Water systems as promised by the bulk supplier.

Although work has been completed, Johannesburg Water customers are reminded that full recovery will take five to 14 days.

Pumping resumes at Zwartkopjes system 

• The Rand Water shutdown is scheduled to end on Friday, 14 July at 05:00, having begun on Tuesday, 11 July at 19:00.
• Full recovery of the affected Johannesburg Water systems will take five to 14 days
• “Customers are further notified that, since the reservoirs have run empty in some areas, the recovery of high-lying areas can take
  several days to be fully restored,” confirmed Rand Water.
• Johannesburg Water continues to prioritise critical areas such as hospitals, clinics, and old age homes by providing alternative water supply.
• As at Thursday afternoon, the entity had deployed an additional 111 stationary tanks and 54 additional water trucks to service residents during the shutdown

• Mavis Hamer, 81 has just recovered from severe bronchitis. She has filled her bath with water. She is stressed that the supply will not return on time.

• Aubrey Crowder, resident of Eeufees Oord retirement village in Westdene says water stopped flowing into the village at 19:00 on Tuesday.
• There are currently two JoJo tanks on site.
• Many elderly people here find it difficult to carry heavy containers of water. Some can’t afford to get suitable containers to store the water for bathing, showering and flushing the toilet.

#JoburgUpdates
MEDIA STATEMENT
Johannesburg Water urges residents to allow water tankers access to communities ^P pic.twitter.com/8s9MV0scy1

— Johannesburg Water (@JHBWater) July 13, 2023

MEDIA STATEMENT Rand Water shutdown: additional Johannesburg Water tankers deployed#JoburgUpdates ^N pic.twitter.com/dUA5gqWMgn

— Johannesburg Water (@JHBWater) July 12, 2023

Many are also sceptical that the supply of water will be restored by the estimated time, as Rand Water and Joburg Water (JW) have a history of not meeting deadlines.

The shutdown commenced at 19:00 on July 11 and Rand Water is expected to reconnect the water network at 05:00 on July 14. However, as of July 13, JW has said the supply in some areas may take up to 10 days to return to normal.

Read more: Joburg Water explains the low water preassure

The purpose of the planned shutdown is to complete a tie-in between the A19 and B14 with a new pipeline, installation of isolation valves, and systems upgrades at Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station.

Related article:

Water outage at Helen Joseph leaves patient feeling like she was in a sewer

Residents’ opinions about Joburg water`s infrastructure maintenance