Thousands of Gauteng residents experienced water supply disruptions over the weekend as Rand Water and Eskom carried out planned infrastructure maintenance affecting bulk water supply systems across the province. The disruption has renewed concerns among residents about the recovery period after planned maintenance, with some communities saying water supply often takes longer to return than initially communicated.
Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo said the maintenance formed part of a broader programme aimed at improving the reliability of the province’s bulk water supply system.
“Eskom and Rand Water will now proceed with Phase 2 of the planned infrastructure maintenance programme, which is scheduled to commence at 07h00 on Friday, 17 July 2026 and conclude at 19h00 on Sunday, 19 July 2026,” Maroo said.
She said the maintenance included “Eskom-related electrical maintenance at the Zuikerbosch Purification Plant” and “completion of cross-connections from the old to the new pipelines”. Maroo warned that the work would affect pumping capacity across several Rand Water systems. “The reduction in pumping capacity may result in low water pressure or intermittent water supply in some municipal systems, depending on reservoir levels and water consumption patterns,” she said.
During the maintenance period, pumping capacity was reduced at the Palmiet System to 78%, the Zwartkopjes System to 50% and the Eikenhof System to 55%. The Mapleton System also experienced a 12-hour period without pumping. The affected areas included the Cities of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, as well as several surrounding municipalities.
However, residents’ concerns go beyond the planned maintenance itself. Questions remain about whether restoration timelines are being communicated accurately and what measures are in place when delays occur.
Questions were sent to Maroo on Friday, 17 July, asking what assurances Rand Water could provide that water supply would be fully restored on schedule and what contingency plans were available should delays occur. She was also asked what lessons were learnt from Phase 1 of the maintenance programme and what improvements had been introduced during Phase 2 to reduce the impact on residents and businesses.
No response had been received from Maroo at the time of publication.
Maroo said Rand Water had issued a 21-day notice to affected municipalities, industries and direct customers to allow them to prepare contingency measures. “Rand Water once again thanks all customers and stakeholders for their continued understanding, cooperation and support as it undertakes these critical infrastructure maintenance activities,” she said.
While infrastructure upgrades are necessary to strengthen Gauteng’s long-term water security, residents want improved communication, faster recovery and greater certainty when planned maintenance affects their daily lives.
For many households, the expectation is straightforward: when maintenance ends, water supply should return as communicated.
