City – conserve water as Lesotho Highlands maintenance approaches
The water supply should not be affected because dams are at capacity, but the city urges residents to use water sparingly.
Spring and summer are traditionally peak water demand periods, and they coincide with the essential maintenance work on the transfer and delivery tunnels of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, scheduled to run from October 1 to March 31, 2025.
The Lesotho Highlands Water Commission – a collaborative governance body between SA and Lesotho – will oversee the maintenance of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel. The Lesotho Highlands Development Agency and the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority will do the maintenance.
Rand Water has assured that the water supply to municipalities will remain stable because dams in the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), including the Sterkfontein Dam, are at capacity.
However, 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 enhance their water conservation efforts. This approach will facilitate the maintenance of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel with minimal disruptions to water provision.
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“The CoE’s Water and Sanitation Department proactively monitors reservoir levels to identify areas at risk of interruptions due to increased demand,” said Zweli Dlamini, the city spokesperson.
In addressing high water consumption, interventions like throttling supply at specific times are implemented to build storage in reservoirs.
The city continues to focus on reducing non-revenue water through prompt leak repairs, identifying leaks in high-flow areas, upgrading infrastructure and pressure reduction strategies.
The city calls on all residents to use water sparingly. Notably, much water gets wasted through watering gardens during peak evaporation times, washing cars with hose pipes and filling swimming pools.
Businesses are urged to familiarise themselves with the Water Services by-law available on the city’s website, especially Chapter 2 regarding water supply conditions.
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