Rand Water is undertaking another round of planned maintenance aimed at boosting capacity, operational efficiency, and plant reliability ahead of increased water demand expected from August.  While the maintenance is split across various times and locations, the operations begin on Thursday the 29th of May 2025 at 3am, and finish on the 2nd of June 2025 at 5pm.  

Rand Water CEO, Sipho Mosai, explains, “Rand Water undertakes maintenance to the tune of R400 million a year for the sole reason to ensure the ongoing reliability of the system. The times we engage in maintenance are carefully calculated, primarily during winter when the demand drops. This allows us to conduct preventative scheduled maintenance with as little impact on water users as possible.”  

Impacted areas

The overall impact of the maintenance includes:  

• Reduced pumping capacity at the Eikenhof, Palmiet, Mapleton, and Zwartkopjes systems. 
• Low to intermittent water supply in the cities of Johannesburg, Ekhurhuleni, and Tshwane. 
• Water provision in the Rand West, Mogale City, Merafong, Madibeng, Lesedi, Govan Mbeki, Rustenburg, Royal Bafokeng Administration, and Victor Khanye, Thembisile Hani, Midvaal and Emfuleni local municipalities may also be impacted.  

Following standard communication protocol Rand Water has alerted its municipal customers regarding maintenance within the 21-day notice period. This ensures that municipalities are able to implement contingency plans and advise residents. Chief Operating Officer, Mahlomola Mehlo, says, “Due to the sensitivity and duration of the proposed maintenance, we have taken the decision to alert key municipalities and affected areas before the standard 21 days, allowing them to plan for the maintenance period.” 

The scope of maintenance

To avoid unnecessary supply side cuts and delays, the maintenance has been split into various tasks, over differing times.  

For the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Rand Water identifies four key maintenance procedures: 

• Tie-in of the B16 pipeline from Zuikerbosch Station 5. This affects the Mapleton system, and begins on the 29th of May and ends on the 2nd of June, totaling 107 hours. There will be no pumping at Mapleton for the entire period.  

• Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection. This affects the Palmiet system where pumping will be reduced to 67$ capacity for 10 hours. This takes place on the 3rd of June from 6am to 4pm.  

• Russel Road meter installation. This affects the Palmiet system; there will be no supply to the southern areas, and Barlow Road. This will take place on the 3rd of June from 6am to 6pm. 

• Zwartkopjes station valve replacements. This affects the Zwartkopjes system; there will be no pumping for the duration of the maintenance work. This is set to begin on the 30th of June, and end on the 2nd of July, totaling 50 hours. 

The primary objective of this major work will be connecting Zuikerbosch’s station 5a to Engine Room 3 at the Mapleton booster pumping station through the B16 pipeline. During this time, the City of Ekurhuleni will conduct their own maintenance on their electrical infrastructure 

For the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality Rand Water identifies two key maintenance procedures:  

• Tie-in the B16 pipeline from Zuikerbosch station 5. This will affect the Mapleton system, as no pumping will take place for the entire duration of the procedure. This begins on the 29th of May and ends on the 2nd of June, totaling 107 hours.  

• Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection. This affects the Palmiet system where pumping will be reduced to 67$ capacity for 10 hours. This takes place on the 3rd of June from 6am to 4pm.  

For the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality Rand Water identifies four key maintenance procedures: 

• Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection. This affects the Palmiet system where pumping will be reduced to 67$ capacity for 10 hours. This takes place on the 3rd of June from 6am to 4pm. 

• Pipe leak repairs at Zuikerbosch plant. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and continue until the 2nd of July with the main work totaling 48 hours.  

• Cleaning the sedimentation tank at Vereeniging. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and end on the 21st of July, totaling 21 days.  

• Zwartkopjes station valve replacements. This affects the Zwartkopjes system; there will be no pumping for the duration of the maintenance work. This is set to begin on the 30th of June, and end on the 2nd of July, totaling 50 hours. 

Mogale, Merafong, Royal Bafokeng and Rand West Local Municipalities 

• Pipe leak repairs at Zuikerbosch plant. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and continue until the 2nd of July with the main work totalling 48 hours. 

• Cleaning the sedimentation tank at Vereeniging. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and end on the 21st of July, totalling 21 days.  

Thembisile Hani, Lesedi, Govan Mbeki, Victor Khanye Local Municipalities and all direct customers and industries 

• Tie-in the B16 pipeline from Zuikerbosch station 5. This will affect the Mapleton system, as no pumping will take place for the entire duration of the procedure. This begins on the 29th of May and ends on the 2nd of June, totalling 107 hours.  

Madibeng Local Municipality 

• Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection. This affects the Palmiet system where pumping will be reduced to 67$ capacity for 10 hours. This takes place on the 3rd of June from 6am to 4pm. 

• Pipe leak repairs at Zuikerbosch plant. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and continue until the 2nd of July with the main work totalling 48 hours.  

• Cleaning the sedimentation tank at Vereeniging. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and end on the 21st of July, totalling 21 days.  

Midvaal and Emfuleni Local Municipalities 

• Disconnecting and removing Amanzimtoti pump 5 for overhaul. This will affect the VVS System, with no pumping for the duration. This is set to start on the 29th of May and end on the 30th of May, totaling 13 hours. 

Ngwathe, Metsimaholo and Emfuleni Local Municipalities 

• Cleaning the Sasolburg Reservoir. This will affect the VVS system. There will be no supply to the reservoir affecting Ngwathe,Metsimaholo and Emfuleni for the entire process. This will take place from the 30th of May to the 15th of June, lasting 16 days.  

Rustenburg Local Municipality  

• Pipe leak repairs at Zuikerbosch plant. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June and continue until the 2nd of July with the main work totalling 48 hours.  

• Cleaning the sedimentation tank at Vereeniging. This will affect the Eikenhof system. Pumping will cease for 6 hours, after which it will be increased to 50% for 42 hours, and then 80% for 19 days. This is scheduled to begin on the 30th of June to the 21st of July totalling 21 days.

Technical specifications

The system relies on systematic closures, charging, and pumping to ensure the integrity of the entire system. Mehlo explains, “The maintenance begins by isolating the area. This is done through valve closure. These massive valves require four people to operate and shut off the line at certain points. Once the valves are closed, there is still water in the system, so we use additional valves along the isolated system to empty the section. Only once the pipes are empty, well ventilated, and dry, can we send people to work. After the work is done, we must slowly charge the line. The immense pressure necessitates a slow build up in pressure before opening the valves, and again systematically beginning pumping.” This is done for safety, but also due to the complex system and high pressures this ordering of things is done to ensure that the system does not suffer bursts, leaks, and damage. The length of these procedures is calculated to include the safety and slow recovery process.  

During this maintenance phase Rand Water will also clean their sedimentation tanks. These are tanks used to remove unwanted debris from the water and over time become backlogged. These are generally cleaned slowly. There are also several inspections taking place to assess the overall health of the system. Inspection is only done once comprehensive cleaning has taken place.  

The biggest work during this phase is connecting the B16 pipeline from Zuikerbosch to Mapleton. This involves connecting the Zuikerbosch supply from the water treatment plant to the Mapleton system. This ensures a continuous and robust supply to the system.  

Mehlo also indicates that the recovery time is prolonged and not immediate, “This is not electricity where a switch on gives you power. Water takes time to build up and we urge that patience is shown when dealing with recovery.” During the recovery process Rand Water monitors air within the system, and while the system has air valves, Rand Water forces the air out through scouring. “This also increases the time of recovery in high lying areas. As we pump water into the system the air is pressurised pushing back on the water halting flow.”  

Mosai concludes by saying, “At Rand Water we do maintenance on a daily basis. The public is only aware of it when it gets to this scale.”

Updates

Rand Water wishes to remind the public to only follow credible media, either from a reputable news organisation or its own official statement,s after a misleading post was shared around the maintenance schedule in Ekurleni.

Johannesburg Water 

Residents are reminded of the Rand Water maintenance set to begin on the 3rd of June 2025.

The bulk supplier will be conducting major maintenance work on its infrastructure from 3 June to 21 July 2025, which will impact Johannesburg Water systems.
The maintenance will be conducted in a phased approach, starting with the Palmiet
system on 3 June, from 06:00 to 16:00. For 10 hours, pumping will be reduced to 67%,
which will result in poor pressure to no water for residents.

The following Johannesburg Water systems will be impacted by the Palmiet System:
• Sandton Systems:
• Alexander Park Reservoir:
• South Hills Tower:
• Randjieslaagte Reservoir:
• Linksfield Reservoir:
• Midrand Systems: