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Johannesburg Faces Severe Water Crisis as Reservoirs Run Dry
Johannesburg is grappling with a worsening water crisis, with 28 out of 61 reservoirs and towers at critically low levels or completely without water. The latest system status report from Johannesburg Water, released on Wednesday, revealed that approximately 350 areas are now affected.
The utility warned that demand continues to exceed available supply, putting significant pressure on its infrastructure. The situation has been further exacerbated by a power failure in Emfuleni, which has disrupted pumping from Rand Water’s Forest Hill and Eikenhof systems.
“As a result, systems are under strain, leading to lower reservoir and tower levels. This may cause reduced water pressure or, in some areas, a complete loss of supply,” Johannesburg Water stated in its latest update.
Also Read: Johannesburg Water Outages: These Areas Will Have Little to No Water
Reservoir Levels at Critical Lows
An analysis of the system status report shows a dire situation across the city. Of the monitored reservoirs and towers:
- 28 are critically low (marked in red),
- 24 are at fair levels (yellow), and
- Only 9 are stable (green).
Several key reservoirs, including Zondi Reservoir, Jabulani Tower, and Hursthill 1 Reservoir, are currently on bypass to try and manage the crisis.
Among the worst-affected areas are:
Deep South Systems
- Zondi Reservoir (Bypass)
- Jabulani Tower (Bypass)
- Power Park Reservoirs
- Protea Glen Reservoir
- Lenasia Cosmos Reservoir (Bypass)
Central and Soweto Systems
- Constantia
- Helderkruin Reservoir
- Aeroton Reservoir
- Aeroton Tower
- Berea Reservoir
- Crown Gardens Reservoir
- Yeoville Reservoir
- Parktown 2 Reservoir
- Hector Norris
- Eagle Nest Reservoir
- Alexander Park Reservoir
- Forest Hill Tower
- South Hills Tower
Commando System
- Crosby Reservoir
- Brixton Reservoir
- Brixton Tower
- Hursthill 1 Reservoir (Bypass)
- Hursthill 2 Reservoir
Randburg System
- Linden 1 Reservoir
- Linden 2 Reservoir
- Waterval Tower
- Kensington B Reservoir
- Kensington B Tower
Johannesburg remains under Level 1 water restrictions, with Johannesburg Water implementing additional supply reductions since November 2024.
“We urge residents to reduce water consumption wherever possible to help stabilise the system,” the utility added.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for immediate action to address the crisis, warning that some residents have gone without water for days or even weeks.
Nico de Jager, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Infrastructure Development, criticized the ongoing blame game between Rand Water, Eskom, and City Power.
“The constant blame-shifting must end. What residents need is decisive action and proper contingency planning,” he said.
The DA has proposed three key solutions:
- Establish independent power suppliers at all major pump stations using solar and battery systems.
- Upgrade ageing infrastructure with smart pressure management systems.
- Create a rapid-response maintenance unit to handle water infrastructure emergencies.
De Jager confirmed that the DA has written to Minister of Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, requesting urgent intervention and the inclusion of Gauteng municipalities in the national infrastructure support programme.
“The situation demands more than crisis management; it requires a complete overhaul of how our water infrastructure is managed and maintained,” De Jager said.
Johannesburg Water has pledged to continue monitoring the situation and provide further updates as new developments emerge.
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