Cape Town plans 11-hour water shutdown in selected areas

The City of Cape Town has scheduled an 11-hour water supply interruption on Thursday, 5 December, affecting Joe Slovo Park, Phoenix, parts of Montague Gardens, and the Lansdowne/Hanover Park areas. The maintenance work is part of ongoing efforts to upgrade critical water infrastructure.

Areas to be affected by the water shutdown in Cape Town

The water supply will be shut off in Joe Slovo Park, Phoenix, and parts of Montague Gardens from 9:00 to 20:00. This area includes Freedom Way, Montagu Drive, Racecourse Road, and Omuramba Drive. City engineers will install a 200mm pressure-reducing valve on the main water pipeline to regulate pressure and improve long-term water delivery.

In the Lansdowne and Hanover Park areas, water will be unavailable between 8:00 and 18:00 along Govan Mbeki Drive. This shutdown includes Wetton Circle, Hanover Park Avenue, and key locations such as Lansdowne Corner Shopping Mall, Astron Service Station, and Epilepsy SA. The disruption is necessary to connect a relocated water main as part of the Integrated Rapid Transport (IRT) road construction project.

City encourages advance preparation

The city has urged residents and businesses in affected areas to prepare for the temporary disruption. “Affected residents and businesses are kindly requested to store enough water in clean, sealed containers in advance,” the city said.

Water tankers will be dispatched to provide domestic water where needed, particularly in Joe Slovo Park and Montague Gardens. However, the city emphasised the importance of advance preparation to ensure smooth operations during the outage.

What to expect when water is restored

Furthermore, residents may notice discoloured or milky water immediately after supply restoration. According to the city, this is due to trapped air in the pipes, which is not harmful.

“If left to stand in a glass, the appearance will become clear, like normal,” the city assured.

To keep the public informed, the city will share updates, including the locations of water tankers, through its official X account, @CityofCTAlerts.

The City expressed regret for the inconvenience caused.