Jo’burg water crisis worsens as authorities scramble for solutions

The City of Johannesburg’s (COJ) water woes are intensifying, with reservoir levels dropping dangerously low and authorities implementing restrictions to manage dwindling supplies.

The Commando reservoir system is now hovering at around 40% capacity, a historically low level that has prompted concerns about water security in South Africa’s economic hub.

According to Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, the COJ currently spends R1 billion annually on fixing leaks in its reservoirs and water infrastructure.

“The demand is higher than what the supply is.

“We are basically calling on our residents to help us manage the consumption,” Morero told Newzroom Afrika.

In Parliament, questions have been raised about the crisis, particularly regarding Rand Water’s warnings about excessive municipal water withdrawals.

In response to Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Member of Parliament Nhlanhla Hadebe’s question, the Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina outlined steps being taken to hold municipalities accountable and improve crisis management.

“The purpose of the communication is to ensure that municipalities working with their communities reduce high water consumption to reduce the risk of water supply disruptions,” said Majodina.

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Government intervention

The situation has attracted attention at the national level.

Majodina shared that she wrote to the Gauteng Premier and Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, pushing for imminent and stricter water restrictions and better enforcement through municipal by-laws.

“The minister further requested the MEC and the premier to coordinate and meet with the municipalities to address water supply challenges,” her response in the Parliamentary Monitoring Group read.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile also recently confirmed that while municipalities are implementing Level 1 restrictions, these measures need to be escalated.

“The DWS is working together with the Gauteng provincial government to encourage municipalities to put in place level 2 and level 3 water restrictions and also to enforce them,” he said.

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Restriction levels explained

Level 2 water restrictions, which reduce water supply by 30%, would ban activities such as watering gardens and cleaning driveways with hosepipes.

Level 3 restrictions would impose stricter daily water usage limits per person, similar to measures implemented during Cape Town’s 2016 “day zero” crisis.

According to Majodina, in order to address the communication gap, the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water, and Gauteng municipalities are partnering with the World Bank 2020 Water Resources Group to implement a mass awareness campaign.

Majodina said this would happen before the end of this year.

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New infrastructure on the horizon

Morero revealed that a new reservoir under construction in Brixton could provide some relief.

“We’re building a 27 megaliter [reservoir] which we think is going to ease the pressure in the area of Oakland Park,” he explained.

The facility, scheduled for completion in April 2025, will increase storage capacity from the current 18 megaliters and provide up to 18 hours of supply during interruptions.

Although restrictions and refurbishments are allegedly in place, the city’s ageing infrastructure remains a significant concern.

“We need just over a billion to deal with our reservoirs. We’ve got just over 45 that we have identified immediately that needs to be refurbished because they’re leaking,” Morero said.

He added that of the 685 pressure valves requiring replacement, only 45 have been fixed so far.

The mayor acknowledged criticism from Majodina about the crisis being self-inflicted.

“When we were supposed to act at the right time, we did not act and we allowed the behaviour to continue,” Morero admitted.

He pointed to challenges with prepaid meters being bypassed by both residents and businesses, contributing to excessive water usage.

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