Johannesburg Water says it is well prepared for the potential disruptions in water supply during Rand Water’s planned winter maintenance that is starting this weekend.

The water supply across the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is expected to be impacted as Rand Water undertakes extensive proactive maintenance across Gauteng from June 22 to July 29, to improve the reliability and efficiency – as well as extend the lifespan – of its water infrastructure.

Rand Water will start its maintenance programme in the Mogale City local municipality, where normal pumping will not be affected at this stage, as only one meter will be impacted.

Following this, Rand Water will embark on maintenance that will impact the Palmiet, Zwartkopjes, Eikenhof and Daleside systems that supply water to various regions across the CoJ, said Johannesburg Water operations GM Logan Munsamy.

On June 24, pumping at the Eikenhof pumping station will be reduced to 50% for eight hours before being increased to 67% for the following 64 hours until June 27, as Rand Water completes its new flexibility project connection, including the interconnection of Waterval 1 and 2.

For the remainder of the project until July 12, Eikenhof will operate at 83% capacity for a period of 18 days, as Rand Water undertakes sedimentation tank cleaning at the Vereeniging plant.

Also on June 24, pumping at Zwartkopjes pumping station will be reduced to 50% for 27 hours, and there will be no pumping at Daleside for four hours, as Rand Water replaces a defective valve at the Vereeniging station.

Maintenance of the Palmiet system will see pumping reduced to 60% for eight hours on July 1, to 68% for 50 hours from July 15, and 76% for 40 hours from July 29.

Munsamy pointed out that this was not a crisis and there would not be a total water shutdown, but rather a reduction of flow into the system during the low-demand winter period.

The benefits of planned maintenance include improved pump infrastructure availability and reliability; optimally functioning infrastructure; reduced downtime of Rand Water’s bulk supply infrastructure; flexibility to change pumping configuration within the Eikenhof pump station; an increase in capacity availability on Rand Water’s Waterval reservoir complex; compliance of the statutory requirements of water quality; and the improved continuity and reliability of supply on the water system.

Johannesburg Water was prepared for the maintenance activities, he assured, noting that a variety of measures were in place to ensure that residents of the impacted regions had water as far as possible, including the deployment of stationary and roaming tankers across the CoJ to service in areas in need and provide relief to customers.

Eighty-five roaming water trucks, through four service providers, will be dispatched across the city, while 250 JoJo tanks will be installed at places such as hospitals, clinics and senior homes, as well as schools, police stations, direct feed areas and parts of an area or suburb where water tankers are required as directed by councillors.

While Johannesburg Water does not anticipate the complete shutdown of water supplies, it is recommending residents store up a reasonable quantity of water prior to the weekend for essential and critical needs and to ensure that there is sufficient water for sanitation purposes, such as toilets.