Rand Water announces a 39.5 hour water shutdown

Rand water has warned of a significant water reduction during a planned H12 pipeline shutdown later this month.

A reduction of approximately  50% of water should be expected, the utility said.

The planned shutdown of its H12 pipeline is scheduled from 31 March at 7am to 1 April at 10:30am.

The 39.5 hours shutdown is aimed at tying in a 5.2km x 170mm section of the newly constructed H39 pipeline which has been constructed to augment a portion of the H12 pipeline.

Rand Water said in a statement the pipeline project will be taking place at Glen Austin, Midrand, inside the Randjesfontein Estate.

Other areas that are most likely to be affected by the execution of this project includes the north western areas and Randjesfontein.

They have further advised Johannesburg Water to fill its reservoirs before the actual shutdown commences.  

“Rand Water would like to appeal to all the consumers to use water sparingly and apologise for any inconvenience caused,”  the statement read.

The system is expected to fully recover in two to three days after the H12 pipeline has been re-commissioned.

Water shutdown doesn’t mean no water

Rand Water’s water shutdown in November last year had residents in a panic, resulting in them having to clarify in a statement that the term shutdown does not necessarily mean no water.

They clarified in a statement that water will flow into the system at reduced pressure and quantities.

“The term ‘shutdown’ is a technical phrase which has been used over the years to describe a section of the system that may/will be affected by maintenance.

“Therefore, the use of this phrase is industry norm,” Rand Water explained.

Rand Water’s distribution network involves more than 3,300km of pipelines, some of which date back to 1907. 

It supplies up to 10 million people in a 18,000 square kilometre service area, which includes 95% of Gauteng, as well as parts of the Free State, North West and Mpumalanga. 

Much of this network is made of faulty and ageing infrastructure, which is slowly being replaced with state-of-the-art plumbing technology. 

Additional information compiled by Nica Richards

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