Thousands of residents across parts of Randburg are battling erratic water supply, with many saying they have been left in the dark about when normal services will resume.

Households in Windsor, Robindale, Cresta, and sections of Northcliff have reported days of dry taps. Residents on Monkor Road say they are among the worst affected, describing a pattern where water flows briefly before cutting off again.

Ward 98 councillor Beverley Jacobs said she escalated the matter to Johannesburg Water on February 9, after receiving a surge of complaints. At that stage, residents had not been provided with a clear cause of the outage, a timeline for repairs, or confirmation of emergency water relief. “Residents deserve transparency and immediate intervention.” Jacobs added that prolonged uncertainty has worsened frustration in the community.

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Subsequent feedback indicated that the disruption stems from reduced bulk supply from Rand Water. In a media statement, issued on February 7, Rand Water attributed the reduction to unusually high consumption levels, which had placed strain on reservoir capacity. The Linden reservoir, which services much of the affected region, was among those impacted.
Johannesburg Water confirmed it was aware of the constrained supply from that point, but because the issue relates to bulk supply and declining reservoir levels, rather than a local infrastructure fault, Johannesburg Water prioritised allowing reservoirs to recover, instead of rolling out water tankers immediately.

For residents, however, the result has been unpredictable access. Some report water returning in the early hours or mid-morning, only to drop again by the afternoon. The inconsistency has disrupted daily routines, from preparing meals to maintaining basic hygiene.

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No firm date has been communicated for full restoration. Johannesburg Water has indicated that stabilisation depends on reservoir recovery, which remains uncertain amid fluctuating inflows.

Jacobs criticised what she describes as inadequate planning and communication from both Johannesburg Water and Rand Water. She questioned the fairness of attributing the crisis solely to consumption, pointing to visible leaks and burst pipes in areas such as Linden and Northcliff. She argued that infrastructure maintenance must form part of the broader solution.

She also expressed concern that contingency measures, including tankers and temporary water storage, were not implemented soon enough, to support vulnerable residents. The councillor has requested a detailed recovery plan, and says she will continue pressing for both clarity and emergency relief as the situation unfolds.

For now, affected communities remain reliant on intermittent supply, watching reservoir levels and waiting for tangible intervention from the authorities.