The City of Johannesburg is taking decisive action to stabilise the water supply network and reduce consumption through a comprehensive, multifaceted Water Demand Management programme. This approach involves coordinated efforts between the City, Johannesburg Water, Rand Water, and key stakeholders to address both immediate and long-term water security challenges. The programme includes detailed assessments of water usage patterns, targeted interventions in high-risk areas, and the deployment of cutting-edge technologies to monitor and optimise the entire supply system.

Johannesburg remains one of the largest consumers of bulk water supplied by Rand Water. While significant progress has been made in reducing daily consumption, with multiple projects resulting in a measurable decline in water demand, the City must still reach a critical target of 1 550 Ml/d to comply with licence apportionment requirements. To achieve this, our administration is implementing a suite of urgent, practical interventions, including real-time monitoring of consumption at the district and household levels, partnerships with businesses to drive water-saving initiatives, and enhanced public awareness campaigns.

These efforts are aimed at protecting supply, meeting regulatory obligations, and building long-term resilience within the municipal water system.

Immediate measures already underway include night-time throttling to reduce losses, strategic bulk meter restrictions in high-consumption zones, intensified pressure management, and advanced leak detection technologies deployed across the network. In addition, the City is conducting rapid response repairs for identified leaks, increasing the frequency of system audits, and collaborating with local ward committees to identify problem areas more quickly.

These actions are designed to curb excessive demand, minimise water wastage, and ensure fair and sustainable access to water for all residents.

Infrastructure challenges, illegal connections, and historical underinvestment continue to strain the system. Through Johannesburg Water’s Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategy, the City is accelerating reservoir repairs, pipeline replacement programmes, smart metering, and more rigorous enforcement of by-laws to reduce non-revenue water and restore system efficiency.

Communities supplied by the HH2 reservoir, including Melville, Westdene, and Parktown West, have experienced supply disruptions due to constraints within the Commando system and ongoing commissioning work. Technical teams are restoring stability by addressing pressure issues, flushing networks to clear blockages, and securing alternative supply via water tankers and mobile storage units where necessary. The City is also providing regular updates to affected residents and maintaining open communication with local councillors to ensure community needs are met throughout the restoration process.

At the same time, the City is investing in major infrastructure upgrades in the Brixton, Crosby, and Hursthill supply districts, including the construction of new reservoirs, the installation of modern pump stations, and the refurbishment of ageing infrastructure. These projects are expected to significantly improve capacity, operational flexibility, and resilience upon completion.

The City acknowledges the inconvenience caused by water supply challenges and assures residents that every effort is being made to stabilise the network as quickly as possible.
To support these efforts, all residents, businesses, and institutions are urged to reduce water consumption, report leaks promptly and strictly adhere to water-saving measures during this period. The City will continue to provide timely updates as projects progress.

Johannesburg remains committed to protecting essential services, strengthening infrastructure, and ensuring a reliable and sustainable water future for all.