Ekurhuleni Rolls Out Tankers and Contingency Plans as Rand Water Maintenance Begins

Gauteng residents are bracing for a reduced water supply as Rand Water kicks off its essential winter maintenance at key pumping stations, starting May 29, 2025. This planned work will affect multiple municipalities, including Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Rand West, Mogale City, Rustenburg, and Merafong. In response, the City of Ekurhuleni has rolled out water tankers and contingency plans to ease the impact, urging residents to store water and use it wisely during this period.

- By Mpho Moloi

Maintenance Schedule and Affected Areas

Rand Water's maintenance is split into four phases, with the first phase delivering the biggest challenge. Beginning at 03:00 on May 29, 2025, this phase will run for 107 hours roughly 4.5 days-until June 2, 2025, at 17:00. During this time, water won't be pumped into Ekurhuleni's systems, hitting suburbs hard. The second phase lasts 10 hours, the third 12 hours, and the fourth 50 hours. However, it's the initial 107-hour shutdown that will cause the most disruption, with recovery taking up to 14 days, especially in high-lying areas.

Affected Ekurhuleni suburbs include:

• Benoni

• Vosloorus

• Katlehong

• Springs

• Brakpan

• Daveyton

• Etwatwa

• Kwa-Thema

• Tsakani

• Duduza

• Nigel

The Mapleton system, a major water supply network, will be offline during the first phase, delaying recovery for an additional five to 14 days as reservoirs refill. This maintenance tackles ageing infrastructure and high water demand, ensuring a more reliable supply in the future. Across Gauteng, similar upgrades are vital to prevent long-term shortages, especially as population growth strains the region's water resources.

Contingency Plans and Resources