Residents in the City of Johannesburg will face overnight water restrictions starting Thursday, as announced by Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina. This decision was made during a joint media briefing with Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, officials from Joburg Water, and Rand Water. The water restrictions will be implemented between 9 PM and 4 AM daily to help restore reservoir levels during off-peak hours.
According to Minister Majodina, the main cause of the water supply disruptions in Johannesburg is the high demand for water, which is regularly close to or even exceeds the available supply from Rand Water. The city’s water consumption has reached unsustainable levels, with Gauteng using 278 liters per person per day—significantly higher than the international standard of 173 liters. This excessive usage has prompted the province to be placed under level one water restrictions, a situation exacerbated by frequent electro-mechanical breakdowns and increased water usage during heatwaves.
“The demand-supply relationship for treated water in Johannesburg is tight, and the system remains vulnerable,” Majodina said. “The growth in water demand in Johannesburg is tied to the province’s economic and population growth. However, we anticipated this growth as far back as the 1980s, with plans such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project put in place to address it.”
In light of the ongoing water crisis, Majodina highlighted that Joburg Water has implemented several measures to avoid a “Day Zero” scenario, where taps could run dry. These measures include:
To address water supply challenges in Johannesburg, Joburg Water has implemented several key measures. These include the procurement of contractors for emergency repairs to address large-diameter water pipe leaks, as well as increasing the number of leak repair teams to respond more efficiently to burst pipes, with the goal of reducing response times from 48 hours to 24 hours. Additionally, the availability of trucks has been increased to assist with leak repairs and maintenance. In an effort to prevent further strain on the water supply, Joburg Water is also implementing cut-offs for illegal water connections in key informal settlements.
