Joburg water supply ‘under threat’ – due to Stage 6 load shedding
Having no power is bad enough – but some parts of Joburg may soon be cut-off from their water supply, as a result of Stage 6 power cuts.
Perhaps the biggest problem with Eskom’s continued failures is that they are never self-contained. Stage 6 blackouts, sadly, create collateral damage further down the line. The latest victim appears to be Joburg and its water supply, which is now feeling the strain.
How Stage 6 load shedding threatens the water supply
Water and electricity indeed do not mix. So, what’s the connection?
The pump stations in Joburg, which run on electricity, supply water in specially-built infrastructure towers. These are ‘isolated’ during times of load shedding, however – and the longer the lights stay off, the worse the situation gets.
With the pump stations limited in their supply, it leads to a chronic shortage of water. For some, taps will run completely dry. Others will be affected by low water pressure. Make no mistake, suffering at the hands of Stage 6 outages goes way beyond an issue of electricity.
When Stage 6 will come to an end is anyone’s guess. Eskom have forecast a ‘high level of load shedding’ for the rest of the week. A series of tripped units are wreaking havoc across the grid, with some fearing that the much-fabled STAGE 8 could be deployed at some point.
Joburg feels the strain as Eskom flails
As South Africans make plans to live in the dark, some of those based in Gauteng could have their misery compounded. In a statement published on Sunday, Johannesburg Water explained that it will do ‘whatever it can’ to restore supplies, as and when needed.
“Stage 6 load shedding impacts Johannesburg Water Infrastructure Towers, in various parts of the City of Johannesburg are affected by load shedding. The pump stations which supply water into the towers, are isolated during the electricity outage.”
“It eventually results in no water supply into the towers during the duration of load shedding. Customers in the various tower zones are affected by no water or poor pressure. We are monitoring affected infrastructure, ensuring that supply is restored as soon as possible.” | Johannesburg Water