Water crisis exposes infrastructure struggles

Residents across Johannesburg have endured severe water shortages for the past two weeks, highlighting a growing crisis that has become the norm in the city’s management of its water supply.

Dr Ferrial Adam, the executive manager of WaterCAN, emphasised the mismanagement of recent water challenges, criticising the lack of leadership from city officials.

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“Blaming demand is a weak excuse when people have had no water for days,” she stated, urging the city to prioritise fixing leaks instead of relying on ineffective short-term measures such as water tankers.

While WaterCAN acknowledged Joburg Water’s efforts to communicate via social media, many of these messages have been too generic to offer real assistance. Instead of simply stating that reservoirs are running low, residents need specific explanations about the causes of the shortages.

She made an example of the lack of inflow from Rand Water, or were there leaks in the system? Such clarity is essential for residents who are left without water for days on end.

To improve transparency, WaterCAN suggested that Joburg Water establish an online dashboard where residents can access real-time information about the state of their water supply and the infrastructure that impacts them. “This dashboard should be regularly updated, particularly during crises, providing a centralised point of information rather than expecting residents to sift through social media posts.”

Since November last year, JW has implemented supply reductions, leading to ongoing water shortages in various areas.

Recently, the utility reported that many reservoirs were under strain due to high demand, yet residents remained perplexed as to why some regions consistently experienced shortages while others did not.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, unexplained power issues at key Rand Water pump stations have further disrupted supply.
Adam highlighted two incidents at the Eikenhof and Vereeniging stations, which led to extended outages, raising concerns about the adequacy of backup power systems.

The continued lack of decisive action has deepened public frustration, with WaterCAN calling for ring-fenced funding for water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure long-term solutions.

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In a recent Facebook update on February 15, City of Joburg Mayor Dada Morero reported on his visits to reservoir sites, noting gradual improvements in some areas, however, ongoing supply issues remained prevalent.

Currently, almost 65 reservoirs and towers have been impacted by recent events, with 22 recovering and supplying normally, while 13 remain critically low.

Systems that have recovered steadily are Linden 2, Waterval, Quellerina, Kensington-B, Helderkruin, Honeydew, Randparkridge, Florida, Hector Norris (CBD), Glenvista, Kibler Park, and Northcliff.

Systems that are still impacted or low level and are being closely monitored include Crosby, Brixton, Hursthill (Commando System) Crown Gardens, Eagles Nest, Berea, Forest Hill, Lenasia, South Hills and Parktown, Ferndale, Helderkruin and Constantia.

The ongoing water crisis in Johannesburg highlights the urgent need for comprehensive infrastructure investment and effective management. Residents deserve reliable access to water, not excuses from city officials, concluded Adam.

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