By Rorisang Modiba
- Rand Water maintenance from Tuesday 6 January to Thursday 8 January reduces supply to Johannesburg Water.
- Residents in Soweto, Roodepoort and Meadowlands may face low pressure or outages.
Thousands of Johannesburg residents will have to plan around water shortages this week as major maintenance work gets underway.
Rand Water began planned maintenance at 4am on Tuesday, 6 January. The work is expected to continue until 8am on Thursday, 8 January.
The maintenance forms part of Rand Water’s long term upgrade programme. The aim is to improve ageing infrastructure, increase system capacity and reduce future water cuts.
During the work, the amount of bulk water supplied to Johannesburg Water will be reduced. As a result, reservoirs across the city will slowly drop.
Residents may experience low water pressure or no water at all while the work continues. Even after the maintenance ends, it could take between three and seven days for the system to recover fully.
Johannesburg Water has warned that the return of water will not be immediate. Areas far from reservoirs or on higher ground are likely to take longer to stabilise.
Areas expected to be affected include parts of Meadowlands, Soweto, Dobsonville, Protea Glen, Braamfischerville, Roodepoort and Fleurhof, as well as surrounding communities.
The City has also warned that nearby areas could be affected because water systems are connected and depend on the same supply network.
Johannesburg Water says it has taken steps to prepare for the disruption. Reservoir levels have been managed ahead of the shutdown and response teams have been placed on standby.
The utility says alternative water will be provided where possible through stationary and roaming water tankers during and after the maintenance period.
Residents are urged to use water sparingly and plan ahead while the work continues and during the recovery period.
Pictured above: A water tower.
Image source: File
