Johannesburg Water has confirmed technical teams are reconfiguring the supply network and throttling pressure to balance supply and support reservoir recovery across affected systems.

The entity’s water supply systems are severely constrained, with high demand and excessive draw-off limiting the recovery of reservoirs and towers. This is resulting in low water pressure, intermittent supply and prolonged outages in various areas.

Johannesburg Water acknowledges the frustration experienced by affected residents. Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala explained that the interventions involve adjusting water flows and pressures to manage available storage and improve supply to struggling parts of the network. “Customers may experience reduced pressure or temporary supply interruptions while these measures are underway. Recovery will vary between systems and will depend on sustained inflows and reduced demand.”

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Impacted systems

Systems experiencing constraints or requiring active management include:

• Randburg–Roodepoort: Honeydew, Cosmo City and Waterval tower,
• Commando: Crosby, Brixton and Hursthill supply areas,
• Central: Parktown, Berea, Yeoville, Randjieslaagte, Linksfield and Alexander Park systems,
• Sandton: Bryanston, Illovo and Morningside,
• Midrand: Grand Central, President Park and Erand systems,
• Soweto and southern areas: Power Park, Chiawelo, Meadowlands, Zondi, Crown Gardens and Eagles Nest, and
• Deep South: Lawley, Ennerdale, Lenasia and Orange Farm systems.

Shabalala said the extent of interruptions varies across these supply areas, with higher-lying areas particularly impacted when reservoir and tower levels decline.
Stricter water-use restrictions proposed

To strengthen existing demand management measures, the entity has proposed more stringent level 1 water use restrictions, targeting a reduction of about 15% in current demand.
The proposed measures include:

• No irrigation between 06:00 and 18:00,
• Compulsory spray nozzles for hosepipes,
• No hosing down of hard surfaces, and
• No dampening of building sand.

Curbs on municipal use

• All City of Johannesburg properties and its entities to stop the irrigation of parks, public spaces and gardens.
• Johannesburg Roads Agency and its contractors to stop using potable water for road construction purposes and instead utilise treated effluent from any of the six wastewater treatment works.
• Johannesburg Water and its contractors to stop using potable water for jetting activities and instead utilise treated effluent from any of the six wastewater treatment works.

Shabalala added that the proposal also provides for targeted reductions in water supplied to identified high-consumption areas where other restrictions do not sufficiently reduce demand.

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These measures will be supported by safeguards to protect access to basic water supply and provide alternative supply to affected essential services. “Should demand continue to increase following implementation, we will consider level 2 water use restrictions. Any further restrictions will be communicated through official channels before implementation.”

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