Rand Water’s extensive, planned water reticulation system maintenance continues, impacting various City of Johannesburg (CoJ) water reservoirs and towers which are interlinked with Rand Water.

In line with this, Johannesburg Water has been issuing regular alerts to residents about the planned maintenance since early June 2024, said CoJ Environment Infrastructure Services MMC Councillor Jack Sekwaila.

“This has given residents adequate time to prepare and store water ahead of the month-long disruption to regular water supply. Johannesburg Water [reduced] water supply by 50% at all reservoirs from 19:00 on June 24 and residents could have little or no water as Rand Water maintenance progresses,” he said.

The system will be supplying normally for the first 24 hours, after which there will be a combination of low pressure to no water until the maintenance concludes on July 29.

Johannesburg Water will provide stationary tankers in critical areas such as hospitals, clinics, municipal offices, schools and police stations, with tankers deployed across the impacted suburbs.

“Johannesburg Water will do its best to coordinate alternative water in an optimal and safe manner,” Sekwaila assured.

At 19:00 on June 24, pumping at the Eikenhof station was reduced to 50% for eight hours before being increased to 67% for the following 64 hours until June 27, as Rand Water completes its new flexibility project connection, including the interconnection of Waterval 1 and 2 reservoirs in the Eikenhof system.

For the remainder of the project until July 12, Eikenhof will operate at 83% capacity for a period of 18 days, as Rand Water undertakes sedimentation tank cleaning at the Vereeniging water treatment plant.

This will impact areas including Randburg, Roodepoort, Soweto and Johannesburg central, as well Brixton, Hursthill and Crosby.

Also on June 24, from 19:00, pumping at Zwartkopjes pumping station was reduced to 50% for 27 hours, impacting Berea, Parktown, Hector Norris, Forrest Hill, Eagles Nest, Alan Manor, Naturena, Crown Gardens, Aeroton and Orlando East.

Further, there was no pumping at Daleside for four hours on June 24, after which pumping resumed at 50% until June 25, impacting Orange Farm, Lawley and Ennerdale, as Rand Water replaced a defective valve at the Vereeniging station.

Maintenance of the Palmiet system will see pumping reduced to 60% for eight hours from July 1 at 08:00, to 68% for 50 hours from July 15 at 03:00, and 76% for 40 hours from July 29 at 05:00, impacting Midrand, Sandton, South Hills, Alexander Park and Randjeslaagte.

“At the end of the maintenance period, water will not necessarily be immediately restored to reservoirs and recovery can take between five and 14 days after the supply has been fully restored,” said Sekwaila, noting, however, that areas supplied through direct supply points from Rand Water will lead to quicker recovery.

“Systems will be impacted differently and other dynamics will influence how various systems recover. There will be a combination of no water and low pressure. Residents in low-lying areas will always recover quicker than those in high-lying areas,” he concluded.