Johannesburg water crisis deepens: Taps remain dry, recovery could take days

This week has been a difficult one for numerous Johannesburg residents after their taps went dry on Monday evening following a power outage at Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station.

On Monday evening, City Power conducted emergency repairs on a feeder-board at the Eikenhof substation after one of the isolators experienced a flash-over.

Repairs completed but taps still dry

This resulted in Rand Water not pumping water, and no alternative supply was available. By Tuesday, City Power said it had completed repairs and provided 100% power to Rand Water.

On Thursday afternoon, Johannesburg Water said systems are continuing to recover; however, complete recovery was projected to take at least a few days to a week. Some suburbs are still experiencing little to no water from their taps.

Ward 99 councillor Nicole van Dyk went to the Johannesburg Water Langlaagte Depot, which services the ward, to get a tanker for residents.

“Ward 99 is still completely dry for the most part; the only suburb in my entire ward of 26 suburbs that has water is Linden. The rest of the suburbs are dry for two to four days now,” she said in a social media video.

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Councillor Leah Knott of Ward 89 announced that Constantia Kloof Primary School notified parents to collect their children as the school didn’t have water all week and no tankers were available.

System interconnected

According to Johannesburg Water, the bulk supplier’s systems are interconnected and flexible, which helps all of the systems recover. 

“Johannesburg Water prioritises the prompt isolation of bursts and leaks and the repair thereof. Customers are requested to repair leaks on their properties, as these also contribute to the high demand on Johannesburg Water’s systems,” it said.

Status of systems supplied by Eikenhof pump station as of 12:30pm Thursday

Central system

• Crosby reservoir has improved but remains low and supplying fairly.
• Brixton reservoir has improved but remains low. Pumping has resumed, and the tower is gradually recovering.
• Hursthill 1 and 2 reservoirs are both critically low. Improvement remains low in the system; poor pressure and no water in expected in the supply zone. Hursthill 1 is being reconfigured to boost supply.
• Crown Gardens reservoir and towers are critically low. The reservoir outlet will be throttled to assist in recovery.
• Eagles Nest reservoir is critically low, supplying fairly to Alan Manor and Naturena reservoirs. Poor pressure is expected in the supply zone while the system is recovering.
• Aeroton reservoir and tower are supplying fairly well; however, poor pressure is still expected.
• Berea reservoir (supplied from Zwartkoppies) is critically low due to high demand and poor supply pressure.

Water tankers are located at Den Van Zyl, New Nation School, Coronation Recreation Centre, Coronation Hospital, and Helen Joseph Hospital for affected residents.

Soweto system

• Chiawelo reservoir, Doornkop West reservoir, Power Park reservoir, Jabulani reservoir, Diepkloof reservoir, Orlando East reservoir, and Meadowlands have improved and are supplying fairly.
• Zondi reservoir and tower, Braamfischer reservoir, and Protea Glen reservoir are low but supplying fairly.

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Water tankers are located at Senaoane Clinic 1, Dube Hostel and surroundings, Meadowlands (Zones 1 and 3), and Diepfloof 1.

Randburg and Roodepoort systems

• Linden 1 reservoir and tower, Linden 2 reservoir, and Blairgowrie reservoir are critically low. Poor pressure and no water may still be expected in the area. Recovery is slow due to high demand and reduced incoming flows as the system is still recovering. This system may take longer to improve due to its configuration.
• Honeydew reservoir and tower and Olivedale reservoir: The Honeydew reservoir has improved and is supplying fairly, while Olivedale reservoir is still recovering.
• Cosmo City and Boschkop reservoirs have improved and are supplying fairly, while Randpark Ridge reservoir is empty.
• Robertsville reservoir, Fairlands reservoir, and Corriemoor reservoir are low but supplying fairly.
• Kensington-B reservoir and tower have improved and are supplying fairly.
• Helderkruin reservoir has improved, while the tower is critically low. Poor pressure and no water is to be expected in the supply zone.
• The Witpoortjie reservoir has improved and is supplying fairly well, while the tower is critically low. Poor pressure or no water may be expected in the supply zone.
• Constantia, Horizon, Waterval, and Quellerina towers are critically low, while Florida North Tower has slightly improved. Poor pressure or no water is expected in the supply zone.
• Waterval tower is empty. No water is expected in the supply zone. Pumping will resume when Waterval system recovers.

Water tankers are located at the Mercure Hotel, Randburg Taxi Rank, Medicross Hospital (Fontainebleau), Randburg Clinic, Witpoortjie Pick n Pay, Princess Clinic, Constantia Kloof Primary School, Ontdekkers Primary School, Blairgowrie (corner Gordon Street and Blairgowrie Drive), and Bordeaux for affected residents.

Sandton system supplied by the Palmiet pump station

• Bryanston reservoir is low but improving while pumping has resumed and the tower is improving.
• Illovo reservoir is critically low, while the tower is empty. The reservoir remains throttled to assist in recovery. Poor pressure or no water is expected.
• Linbro Park and Morningside reservoirs are critically low. Poor pressure or no water is expected in the supply zone.
• Marlboro reservoir has improved and is supplying fairly, including the two direct feeds (Linbro and Marlboro)

Johannesburg Water added that more locations for water tankers will be added as they become available.

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Gauteng health facitilies affected

The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) said Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH), Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH), Zola Community Health Centre (CHC) in Johannesburg district, and Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital in the West Rand were experiencing water supply interruptions. 

At Helen Joseph Hospital, the emergency department, intensive care unit (ICU), and various wards are affected. The department said the hospital’s facility management is monitoring the situation and has put in place measures to divert priority one (emergency and critical) and priority two (urgent but stable) patients to other facilities when necessary. 

At Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital, Mogale City municipality was contacted to assist with the water tankers to be stationed at the hospital premises.

“The water utility has dispatched water tankers in the affected health facilities to minimise the impact on services; however, this is still not sufficient to meet the water demand in the facilities,” the department said. 

It further apologised to patients and the public for the inconvenience caused by the water challenge.

“Health facilities, even with contingency measures in place, still rely on a constant supply of water from the relevant authorities to carry out health services.”

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