Amid Johannesburg's ongoing water crisis—including a February confrontation at the site—the City launched the Brixton Reservoir and Water Tower on 29 April 2026, boosting storage capacity. Officials praised it as progress toward reliable supply, while critics highlighted persistent leaks, delays, and unproven resilience during outages.
The Brixton Reservoir and Water Tower project, whose site was the scene of a viral February confrontation between a resident and Mayor Dada Morero over prolonged outages, was officially launched by the City of Johannesburg on 29 April 2026. Mayor Morero called it “another step forward in Joburg’s commitment to reliable and sustainable water services.” The facility features a 26-megalitre ground reservoir, a two-megalitre tower, and pump station infrastructure to enhance storage and pressure in the Commando Water Supply System, serving Brixton, Crosby, and Hurst Hill.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina attended, noting it would ensure uninterrupted supply to key institutions like Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital, and the University of Johannesburg. Rand Water and Johannesburg Water officials expressed pride in the milestone.
WaterCAN's Dr Ferrial Adam welcomed the development but warned that “leaks are still there,” with true effectiveness to be tested in the next outage. Originally slated for early 2025 after starting in July 2023, delays stemmed from payment disputes and water-quality testing.
DA Councillor Kyle Jacobs accused the ANC of taking credit for a DA-initiated project stalled under their watch, revived by resident and DA pressure. Johannesburg Water Crisis Committee’s Ravin Singh demanded transparency amid national water losses nearing R19-billion from breakdowns.
