South Africa: Planned water maintenance to affect water supply in cities in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West Provinces, June 22-July 29

Rand Water officials have announced water supply disruptions are likely in cities across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and North West provinces through at least late July during planned water infrastructure maintenance from June 22-July 29. Officials have announced that water will remain available throughout the operation. However, low water levels and pressure should be expected in the impacted areas and water tanks and trucks will be dispatched to mitigate the impact on communities. The maintenance affects systems that service large urban areas, including Ekurhuleni (East Rand), Govan Mbeki, Johannesburg, Lesedi, Madibeng, Mogale City, Merafong City, Pretoria (Tshwane), Rand West City, Rustenburg, Thembisile Hani and Victor Khanye municipalities.

Business disruptions are possible, especially for companies that rely on large quantities of municipal water. Essential services, including hospitals and health facilities, could experience disruptions due to water cuts. The water outages could extend beyond the estimated restoration time. Spontaneous protests are possible in areas affected by water shortages, especially in lower-income areas. In the event of demonstrations, increased security and road travel disruptions stemming from blockades are likely.

If operating in impacted areas, stock up on drinking water and confirm alternative water supplies for business operations. Use only bottled water from reputable suppliers for drinking and hygienic purposes. Water pressure and quality may be poor after service resumes; run taps for several minutes before using water. Minimize nonessential water. Avoid protests, and do not drive through roadblocks that may materialize. Heed instructions from authorities.

South Africa, Gauteng especially, regularly suffers from water shortages due to increasingly erratic rainfall patterns, as well as repeated infrastructure breakdowns, high demand, and alleged sabotage. Recurring power cuts have also prevented freshwater pumps from delivering water to some localities and prevented sewage plants from processing grey water. The most recent water shortages run through late March amid an ongoing drought affecting Southern Africa. Rand Water reported that reservoir levels were below 30 percent capacity. Authorities in Johannesburg had implemented efforts to ensure equal distribution of water, with water tankers currently servicing water-restricted areas.

Authorities have regularly implemented water restrictions to mitigate disruptions. Current advisories are for consumers to continue practicing level 1 water usage restrictions, including the prohibition of garden watering, car washing, and the filling of swimming pools between 06:00-18:00.