Residents of Lenasia South Extension 4 have recently experienced recurring water outages during the evening hours, raising concerns about the reliability of the area's water supply. Johannesburg Water has responded to these concerns, outlining the root causes of the interruptions and the measures being undertaken to address them.
Understanding the Cause of the Disruptions:
According to Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala, the Lenasia South area—along with its extensions—is supplied by both the Lenasia Hospital Hill Reservoir and the Lenasia High Level Reservoir.
“Our investigations have revealed significant water use inefficiencies, including a high number of illegal connections,” Shabalala stated. “These factors place considerable pressure on the infrastructure, making it difficult to meet the growing demand.”
To manage this, Johannesburg Water has implemented scheduled reservoir isolations to build up capacity. The reservoirs are shut off daily at 13:00, reopened at 17:00, closed again at 21:00, and then reopened at 04:00 the following morning.
“These isolations are deliberate and necessary,” Shabalala explained. “They allow us to maintain adequate storage levels during periods of high consumption.”
Planned Operations, Not System Failures:
Johannesburg Water clarified that the outages are part of a planned operational strategy, not unexpected faults.
“Due to demand consistently exceeding supply, we have to close both reservoir outlets during specific times to optimise water availability for peak usage,” said Shabalala.
While no formal public announcement was issued, ward councillors were informed of the schedule and, in turn, have been communicating it to residents. “Most community members are aware of the situation through direct updates from their councillors,” she added.
High Demand and Hot Weather Compounding the Issue:
Elevated temperatures have led to increased water consumption, further straining supply. In response, Johannesburg Water has initiated awareness campaigns to encourage residents to minimise non-essential water use, such as garden irrigation and car washing.
The utility also continues to focus on leak detection and repair, pressure management (including the maintenance of pressure reducing valves), and real-time monitoring of reservoir levels to respond swiftly to any anomalies.
Infrastructure Upgrades in Progress:
One of the main constraints identified is the inadequacy of the current bulk supply infrastructure. “The existing 600mm diameter bulk line cannot meet the area's demand,” Shabalala acknowledged. “As part of our Capital Expenditure Programme, we will be upgrading this to a 1300mm line, which will significantly increase supply capacity.”
Efforts to eliminate illegal connections are also ongoing and are viewed as critical to improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the system.
Support for Vulnerable Residents:
Johannesburg Water has encouraged residents—especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and chronically ill—to store sufficient water during the planned outage periods. “Timings are shared with ward councillors to ensure the community can prepare accordingly,” Shabalala noted.
Moving Towards a Long-Term Solution:
Service delivery for Lenasia South falls under the oversight of depot management, which works closely with ward councillors to address complaints and concerns in a timely manner.
Looking ahead, Johannesburg Water remains committed to long-term improvements. “Once the bulk supply upgrade is completed and illegal connections are removed, we expect the system to stabilise, resulting in fewer and shorter outages,” Shabalala concluded.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed through official communication platforms, including Johannesburg Water’s website and social media channels.
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