Planned 9-hour water outage to affect a Johannesburg suburb

Residents and businesses in parts of Johannesburg will face a planned water supply interruption on 25 February from 9:00 to 18:00.

Water outage to affect a Johannesburg suburb. Image: iStock

Residents and businesses in Sandown will face a planned water outage on 25 February, from 9:00 to 18:00. Streets affected include Alice Lane, West Street, and 5th Street. The interruption is due to the connection of a 160mm pipe to improve water service delivery in the area.

Details regarding alternative water supply measures will be provided, but Johannesburg Water assured residents that the upgrade will lead to enhanced infrastructure reliability.

Gauteng loses billions of water Litres Daily

The water supply outage resurfaces a broader concern about water management in Gauteng. According to Jacaranda News, the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutes of South Africa (AWSISA) revealed that Gauteng loses approximately 2.6 billion litres of water daily due to poor infrastructure management by municipalities.

AWSISA spokesperson Dr Nndweleni Mphephu criticised municipalities for failing to maintain water systems despite receiving grants from the national government.

“For example, planned maintenance, carrying out those planned maintenances, only reacts when there is a pipe burst, and we are saying municipalities must start having a plan based on a proper asset management plan.

He emphasised the need for appropriate asset management plans to ensure long-term sustainability.

Mphephu added that municipalities must maximise the use of bulk regional and water service infrastructure grants. However, he warned that grants and revenue collection alone cannot sustain water infrastructure.

Non-payment and municipal debt worsen the crisis

Another challenge contributing to water losses is non-payment by residents and businesses. Mphephu called on all stakeholders, including provincial and national governments, to hold municipalities accountable.

In addition, municipal debt to water boards has soared. By June 2024, the debt had reached R22.36 billion, an alarming 151% increase since 2019, according to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation. This financial strain further hampers municipalities’ ability to maintain critical infrastructure.