The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate last month conducted planned maintenance work, which resulted in water supply disruptions. This critical maintenance work was done on the water supply infrastructure to benefit customers.

The maintenance work included pipe and valve installations, repairs and replacements. Residents were advised to store enough water in advance as a precautionary measure. This precaution did not guarantee all residents would experience water disruptions but aimed to ensure that residents were prepared.

The city’s Water and Sanitation Directorate temporarily shut off the water supply to Gugulethu on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 09:00 until 16:00. This enabled the maintenance team to safely replace the faulty 300-mm-diameter valve on the water main at the corner of NY 1 and NY 109 in Gugulethu. Careful consideration was given to the planning of this work to minimise the disruption. The area did not have any water during this period.

Consequently, water tankers were placed at strategic locations to provide water for domestic use where required.

The Water and Sanitation Directorate also temporarily shut off the water supply in parts of the Boston area, specifically 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th avenues and the immediate surrounds on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, from 09:00 until 18:00, to install a cross-connection and associated valves on the corner of 12th avenue and Lincoln street.

The city noted that zero-pressure testing, and step-testing, formed part of the installation process for zone management infrastructure. “Tests are done in advance to see if any unmapped inflows need to be considered before installing new infrastructure, such as pressure-reducing valves for pressure management.”

Further, the city noted that additional zone management investigations were carried out to ensure that the existing infrastructure was operating effectively.

This maintenance work formed part of the city’s Water Demand Management Strategy. Managing water pressure more effectively reduces the possibility of pipe bursts and water wastage.