Johannesburg water storage up to 41% as outages enter second week
Mayor Dada Morero says Johannesburg's water storage has recovered to 41%, though many households still face low pressure or no water since 19 October.
Johannesburg’s water supply is slowly recovering, according to Mayor Dada Morero, although many households are still struggling. SAnews reported that the mayor briefed the media on Monday afternoon about the outages and low pressure that began on 19 October 2026.
Morero said total storage in the city’s water system has risen to 41%, from 37% a day earlier. He said teams are managing flows, bulk meters and pressure in the network so that the available water can be sent to the hardest-hit areas. Water is being returned gradually, he explained, to avoid overloading the network or emptying reservoirs that are still filling up. Crews are also clearing air trapped in pipes that blocks the flow of water.
The mayor admitted that the disruption has dragged on. Some households have gone without water from their taps for more than 10 days, he said. “Restoring a reliable water supply remains our priority,” Morero said.
Where things stand
Morero gave an area-by-area update:
- Commando system: Brixton Reservoir 1 is at about 91% and Brixton Reservoir 2 at about 50%. An interlink at Hursthill has been opened wider to send more water to Crosby, Brixton and Hursthill.
- Central areas: Parktown Reservoir is still very low. Yeoville Reservoir is above 40% and supply there is back. Berea Reservoir is above 60% and South Hills tower is at about 69%.
- Sandton: Storage climbed to about 37% from 27%, but levels are still low. Bryanston, Illovo and Morningside are being closely managed.
- Midrand: The Grand Central Reservoir is very low and pumping to its tower has been stopped. Erand Reservoir is at about 35%, helping Kyalami, Noordwyk and Vorna Valley. Ivory Park, Allandale and Kaalfontein are still struggling.
- Randburg and Roodepoort: Honeydew has very low inflows. Sundowner, Northriding and Northgate are still without normal supply, and a technical team has been sent to investigate. Supply has returned to the Waterval and Quellerina towers.
- Soweto: Suburbs including Power Park, Chiawelo, Protea Glen, Meadowlands, Zondi, Noordgesig, Diepkloof Extension, Eldorado Park and Pimville were hit by network changes made to help Rand Water’s Meredale Reservoir recover. Those restrictions were lifted on Sunday and the reservoirs are recovering.
Human Rights Commission findings
Morero also responded to findings by the South African Human Rights Commission on the water situation in Gauteng. He said the city welcomes the recommendations and will talk to Rand Water about putting them into practice.
He added that Johannesburg Water is building its own tanker fleet so that it relies less on outside contractors. This follows a Council resolution from the 2023/24 financial year, and because of budget limits the work is being done in phases.
What this means for residents
- Expect low pressure or short interruptions while the network is being rebalanced.
- Residents are asked to keep using water sparingly while repairs continue.
- Higher reservoir levels do not mean every tap is running yet. The mayor said the aim is to turn recovery into a steady supply for every affected household.
This story is based on reporting by SAnews.
