Johannesburg’s water supply system faced another setback as the Eikenhof pump station was tripped again by a lightning strike, marking the second such incident in two weeks. This recent outage, suspected to have originated from a lightning strike at the Orlando substation in Soweto, has exacerbated the ongoing water woes in parts of Johannesburg, leaving residents with dry taps and a growing concern over the city’s aging water infrastructure.
Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda and technical teams from City Power, Johannesburg Water, and Rand Water are actively assessing the damage and working on restoring the water supply. The affected areas include the Waterval Tower, Linden 1 Tower, Orlando East Reservoir, Honeydew Reservoir and Tower, Brixton Reservoir, and Hursthill 1 and 2 Reservoirs. Residents are urged to use water sparingly as the city grapples with low but stable water systems, despite an upward trend in consumption across the Gauteng metros.
The repeated outages have brought to light the critical state of Johannesburg’s water infrastructure. The city has proposed an infrastructure development plan, set to be presented to the council in May, aiming to establish regulations for future infrastructure replacement and maintenance. Despite a R1 billion water renewal and replacement budget, an estimated R3 billion a year is needed to maintain the infrastructure, contributing to a R27 billion water infrastructure backlog.
In addition to the water crisis, the city faces other challenges, including allegations against singer Kelly Khumalo in the murder of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa and the ongoing search for missing girl Joshlin Smith in Saldanha Bay. These incidents underscore the broader issues of crime and public safety in the region.
As Johannesburg battles with its water crisis and infrastructure woes, the urgent need for comprehensive solutions and community cooperation has never been more apparent. The city’s efforts to address these challenges will be crucial in ensuring a stable and secure future for its residents.
@CityofJoburgZA Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda visiting Orlando substation following a trip on Monday evening at 20h45, which affected Eikenhof substation feeding Rand Water. The outage, which lasted for about two hours, is suspected to have been caused by thunderstorms and… pic.twitter.com/S9HDplazzd
— @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) March 18, 2024
