Water outage alert: Johannesburg faces a 72-hour supply disruption this weekend
Residents in the Johannesburg CBD and surrounding areas will experience a 72-hour water outage this weekend due to a scheduled shutdown.
Johannesburg Water has issued a reminder to residents about the upcoming weekend water shutdown, set to impact various areas, including the CBD, starting Friday night.
The water utility revealed in a statement that the water outage be from 20:00 on 6 December until 20:00 on 9 December. The 72-hour shutdown is part of their “ongoing upgrading project,” and they will be installing four new isolating valves at the Hector Norris pump station.
AREAS AFFECTED BY 72-HOUR WATER SHUTDOWN
There will be no water supply in these areas during these four days, and all streets will be affected.
- Johannesburg CBD
- Newtown
- Selby
- Jeppestown
- Doornfontein
- Forest Hill
- Turffontein
- Rosettenville
- La Rochelle
- Turf Club
ANOTHER WATER SHUTDOWN PLANNED
The South African reported on 3 December 2024 that there is another water shutdown that is planned for next weekend. It will last for 86 hours from 7:00 on 13 December to 16 December. The water supply interruptions will be due to maintenance at Eikenhof and Zwartkopies pump stations.
CALLS FOR ‘RIDICULOUS’ 86-HOUR SHUTDOWN TO BE RECONSIDERED
IOL reported on 5 December 2024 that the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called the 86-hour water outage “ridiculous,” and asked for Rand Water to reconsider the planned shutdown. DA’s Johannesburg Shadow MMC for Infrastructure, Nicole van Dyk, said:
“This maintenance is an indication of poor planning and utter mismanagement. In the past, similar maintenance has taken up to two weeks to recover, even with additional water being supplied to stabilise the system.
“Two weeks without water during the warmest month of the year, while families are trying to spend quality time together, is unacceptable-especially when taps run dry.
“We will be writing to Rand Water and Johannesburg Water to demand the rescheduling of this process. We cannot allow Rand Water to steal Christmas like the Grinch that it is.”
The Water Community Action Network (WaterCAN) also called for the postponement of this shutdown. Executive Manager Dr Ferrial Adam said: “While we recognise the importance of maintenance to preserve infrastructure, the timing of this shutdown couldn’t be worse. Many communities are still reeling from recent water shortages and protests.
“Residents of Johannesburg deserve a break from these repeated disruptions. Residents cannot be expected to endure further uncertainty and hardship without adequate communication or contingency plans.”