By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Africa’s largest bulk water utility, Rand Water is conducting the planned maintenance on its Eikenhof system, affecting water meters in various parts of Soweto in Johannesburg.
This comes after Phase One, which began on Saturday, 13 December, and which was only meant to last 48 hours (two days), but for some residents, particularly those living in Midrand, water outages lasted much longer.
While water access has been restored to many areas, concerns remain that Phase Two disruptions may bleed into Christmas, as Johannesburg Water has confirmed that the full recovery of these systems takes several days after the maintenance ends.
Phase Two will run from 6pm on Friday, 19 December, until midnight on Sunday, 21 December, and involves critical valve replacements and pipeline works on the Eikenhof system, another vital bulk supply feeder. During this 54-hour window, no water will be pumped into Johannesburg Water’s network from the affected meters.
Residents in the following areas are most likely to feel the impact:
- Power Park
- Doornkop and the surrounding communities
- Zondi
- Braamfischer
- Chiawelo
- Lenasia
These systems draw from Eikenhof, and shutdown will reduce pressure and could cause temporary outages or weak flow, particularly in elevated suburbs.
To reiterate, Johannesburg Water warned that normal supply may not immediately resume after midnight on 21 December, as reservoirs and tanks will need time to refill.
As Phase Two unfolds, civil society groups say they will continue monitoring supply levels and tanker distribution, warning that without improved planning, transparency and funding, Johannesburg’s water maintenance cycles will continue to place residents at risk.
Meanwhile Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, during her address in Lesotho on Sunday, 14 December, said she would not allow any further extension in Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase II project, as South Africa has no more money to put into the project.
The budget for the project has ballooned to R53 billion, from the forecasted R8 billion made almost two decades ago.
The initial deadline of the second phase of the LHWP was 2019, however, this has been extended to 2028-29.
The LHWP is a mutually beneficial, binational project between the Lesotho and South African governments. It was established under a 1986 treaty and a 2011 agreement to harness the water reasources the Lesotho highlands to provide hydropower for Lesotho and augment water supplies to South Africa’s populous Gauteng province – and neighbouring provinces when the need arises.
Phase II is expected to start water transfer to South Africa in 2028/29, gradually increasing from Phase I’s 780-million cubic metres a year to more than 1 270-million cubic metres a year upon completion.