City calls for water conservation as major maintenance period approaches
Essential maintenance work on the transfer and delivery tunnels of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), scheduled to start from October 1 to March 31, 2025.
Spring and summer seasons are traditional peak water demand periods.
This year it coincides with the essential maintenance work on the transfer and delivery tunnels of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), scheduled to start from October 1 to March 31, 2025.
According to Zweli Dlamini, City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson, the maintenance of the tunnel will be overseen by the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission, a collaborative governance body between South Africa and Lesotho.
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It will be conducted by the Lesotho Highlands Development Agency (LHDA) alongside the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority.
“Rand Water has given assurance that water supply to municipalities will remain stable, as dams in the Integrated Vaal River System including Sterkfontein Dam, are at full capacity,” said Dlamini.
Dlamini said all municipalities and consumers in Gauteng are advised to manage water resources cautiously during this period to prevent potential supply interruptions.
“In a recent media statement, Rand Water emphasised that customers should not panic but should enhance their water conservation efforts.
“This approach will facilitate the maintenance of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel with minimal disruptions to water provision,” said Dlamini.
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“The City’s Water and Sanitation Department is proactively monitoring reservoir levels to identify areas at risk of interruptions due to increased demand,” added Dlamini.
Dlamini said that interventions such as throttling supply at specific times are being implemented to build storage in reservoirs to address high water consumption.
“The city also continues to pay special focus on the reduction of non-revenue water through prompt leak repairs, identifying leaks in high-flow areas, upgrading infrastructure, and pressure reduction strategies.”
Residents are asked to use water sparingly.
“A lot of water is wasted through watering gardens during peak evaporation times, washing cars with hosepipes and the filling of swimming pools.”
