Johannesburg residents are preparing for a 12-hour water maintenance shutdown scheduled for Friday, 17 July 2026. The work by Rand Water and Eskom will reduce pumping across multiple systems. Officials say the impact should be less severe than previous maintenance.
Joburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero announced the second phase of maintenance will run from 7am to 7pm. Systems including Sandton, Midrand, Soweto, Randburg and Roodepoort will see reduced inflows. Pumping at the Palmiet system will drop to 78 percent of normal, while Eikenhof and Zwartkopjes systems will operate at 50 percent.
More than 340 areas across the city are expected to experience low pressure or no water. Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the shorter duration and improved planning should support quicker recovery than the May maintenance, which left parts of the Commando system without water for over 14 days.
Reservoir levels are being maximised ahead of the shutdown. Water tankers will be deployed if needed, with hospitals and clinics prioritised. Regular updates will be issued through official channels during the maintenance and recovery period.