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Johannesburg taps run dry as residents rely on tankers

Published

Joburg Water told residents to use water sparingly after taps ran dry in most parts of the city. The utility links the shortage largely to a heatwave and high consumption, and about seven tankers are supplying affected areas.

Tankers are supplying areas including Naturena, Bertram, Bezuidenhout Valley and Turffontein. Joburg Water said a tree fell on pipes during construction work in Bez Valley, and sewage entered the supply. The utility said it closed the supply there for testing.

Joburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the city's supply systems are under significant strain because of high consumption. She said the entity will apply targeted restrictions in areas with high water losses, excessive wastage and low payment levels. Joburg Water asked residents and businesses to comply with Level 1 water restrictions.

Residents described long waits. Michelle Ackermann of Bertrams said she had been without water for four days and described paying R1 a litre from a private source. Residents of Melville said they had gone four weeks without water.

Westbury community leader Sainy van Zyl said: "The city has lost the ability to distribute water properly." She also claimed that pumps cannot generate enough pressure and that residents get inflated bills. President Cyril Ramaphosa said the water challenges are being addressed, and called intermittent supply problems water throttling that happens when a reservoir runs low.

Key facts

Who
Nombuso Shabalala (Joburg Water spokesperson); Cyril Ramaphosa (President of South Africa); Michelle Ackermann (Bertrams resident); Thandiwe Mnguni (Bez Valley resident)
What
Joburg Water warned residents to use water sparingly as increased consumption, linked in the article to a heatwave, left taps dry in most parts of the city. About seven tankers were supplying areas including Naturena, Bertram, Bezuidenhout Valley and Turffontein, and a tree falling on pipes in Bez Valley led to sewage entering the supply and a closure for testing.
When
25 October 2026
Where
Johannesburg, Naturena, Bertram
Status
Reported

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