Johannesburg residents in for 3 more days of pain before water issues ease

Water tankers are stationed outside the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Coronationville, Johannesburg.

• Johannesburg Water said it would take more than 72 hours for the water infrastructure attached to the Eikenhof system to recover.
• Rand Water has been affected by load shedding and increased demand after the heat wave these last two weeks. 
• Johannesburg Water said the system was recovering after the last 24 hours. 

Johannesburg Water says it will take more than 72 hours for the water infrastructure attached to the Eikenhof system to recover after the power failure on Sunday.

Bulk water supplier Rand Water has been affected by load shedding and increased demand after the heat wave these last two weeks. 

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Puleng Mopeli said within 24 hours after the power was restored at the Eikenhof pump station, the entity had seen improvements in the functioning of the system.

“However, the entity knows that it will take over 72 hours to normalise.”

Johannesburg Water has sent water tankers to the areas affected by low-water levels.

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These are predominantly high-lying areas where the pressure is too low to supply.

Mopeli said Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child hospitals have an adequate supply of water with 24-hour monitoring of the systems.

“Joburg Water again urges customers to be patient as the entity works tirelessly to restore a steady supply of water to the city.”

The following infrastructure levels were recorded on Tuesday morning:

• Honeydew systems: Reservoir and tower are stable. Sustainability of capacity is dependent on water demand.
• Parktown 2 reservoir: Reservoir levels are critically low.
• Helderkruin systems: The reservoir is critically low. The tower levels are critically low.
• Linden systems: Linden reservoir and tower are critically low to empty.
• Hursthill reservoirs: Both reservoirs are critically low. Hursthill 2 reservoir is opened at 50%. Customers in higher-lying areas will experience no water or poor pressure.
• Brixton systems: The outlet of Brixton reservoir is opened at 50%. One pump is supplying the tower.
• Alexander Park reservoir: Reservoir levels remain critically low.
• Eagle Nest reservoir: Reservoir levels are critically low.
• Crown Gardens systems: The outlet of the Crown Gardens reservoir is isolated to build capacity, which will allow pumping to the tower. The tower is currently empty.
• Aeroton systems: The reservoir is stable, and pumping has resumed to the tower, which is critically low.
• Quellerina tower: Levels are critically low to empty.
• Florida North tower: Levels are critically low to empty.
• Constantia tower: Levels are critically low to empty.
• Horison tower: Levels are critically low to empty.
• Waterval tower: Levels are critically low to empty.
• Blairgowrie reservoir: Reservoir levels are critically low.
• Kensington B systems: Both reservoir and tower are stable.

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