News Flash
- Johannesburg’s residents are facing a double whammy – no water and no electricity.
- While the state owned energy utility, Eskom, delivers regular bouts of load-shedding raging from stage 3 to 6 over the last two weeks, another state owned entity responsible for the managment and supply of water to the greater Gauteng region, Rand Water, has announced that capacity has been severely affected at various water systems.
Councillors in Johannesburg sent notices to communities, revealing that reservoirs had run dry as water cuts rolled across the city of six million people. “Johannesburg Water’s networks in various parts of the City of Johannesburg are severely strained due to high water demand. The direct impact is extremely low levels within various reservoirs and towers,” said Johannesburg Water.
Last week Rand Water, the state owned entity responsible for water supply to the greater Gauteng region released a statement explaining that the recent warm weather, as well as load shedding, has severely affected capacity at various Johannesburg Water systems (residents and towers). They added that a massive infrastructure outage and power cut (not load shedding) at the Vereeniging purification plant has affected pumping, so while the Vaal Dam is 92% full, there is water scarcity, and now Level 2 restrictions are coming across the city.
Johannesburg’s neighbouring city, Tswane, is also affected. They have issued a notice confirming that stage 2 water restrictions are in place.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
