Shocking rate of water infrastructure collapse in South Africa’s richest city

The City of Johannesburg is grappling with a water infrastructure crisis that has escalated to alarming levels.

The economic hub of South Africa is facing a water supply system teetering on the brink of collapse.

A stark reflection of this

This pattern, uncovered through data analyzed by The Outlier, highlights both the scale of the problem and its urgent need for resolution.

For years, Johannesburg’s water infrastructure has suffered from chronic neglect.

The city’s pipes, reservoirs, and water towers are ageing, and the maintenance backlog has only worsened with the growing population.

Instead of proactive upgrades and consistent care, the system has been left to deteriorate, leaving residents to face the consequences.

These include frequent disruptions to water supply, with some areas enduring outages that stretch on for weeks.

Residents, hardened by years of unreliable power supply, are now turning to personal solutions like water tanks to mitigate the impact.

But as any household can attest, a day without water feels far more crippling than one without electricity.

The ripple effects touch everything—hygiene, cooking, cleaning, and daily routines.

For some, the desperation of dry taps has even led to late-night visits to friends and relatives, basins of dirty dishes in tow, in search of a functioning water supply.

Johannesburg’s water issues largely fall into two categories: emergency repairs caused by infrastructure breakages and broader disruptions tied to problems with reservoirs and water towers.

Data from the past two months paints a grim picture: 41 instances of unplanned maintenance compared to just 20 planned events.

The unplanned incidents disrupted water supply in 162 suburbs, a significantly larger footprint than the 100 suburbs affected by planned work.

Some areas have emerged as hotspots, enduring multiple unplanned maintenance incidents in a short span.

While some repairs are swift, lasting less than a day, others drag on, leaving neighbourhoods like parts of Soweto without water for weeks.

In one such instance, an “unplanned structural investigation” of the Jabulani reservoir led to extended disruptions euphemistically referred to as “water supply interruptions.”

For 41 reported incidents, there is no clear record of the repair duration, underscoring the opacity surrounding the issue.

Johannesburg’s 129 reservoirs and towers have struggled to meet demand.

At least 26 of them have been reported as critically low or empty over the past two months, affecting water supply to over 440 suburbs.

These numbers may understate the full impact, as Joburg Water often refers to affected systems—like the Commando or Randburg/Roodepoort systems—without detailing the specific reservoirs or towers involved.

One notable example occurred in November when repairs at City Power’s Eikenhof substation disrupted water systems for over a week.

Individual reservoirs and towers show patterns of recurring distress.

Over the last two months, nine reservoirs or towers have been reported as very low to empty at least four times each.

The Doornkop West Reservoir topped the list, facing 12 such incidents, followed closely by the South Hills Tower with ten and the Lenasia Hospital Hills Reservoir with nine.

These repeated failures highlight systemic issues that require more than stopgap measures.

Experts agree that the city’s water crisis demands a comprehensive overhaul of its infrastructure.

Simply reacting to emergencies is not sustainable.

Proactive maintenance, timely upgrades, and improved management practices are crucial.

Experts also call for enhanced transparency from Joburg Water, urging detailed reporting on disruptions to help the public understand and prepare for outages.

Without immediate intervention, Johannesburg risks deeper economic and social fallout.

Ensuring a stable and reliable supply requires long-term planning, significant financial investment, and decisive action.

For a city that serves as the heartbeat of South Africa’s economy, allowing its water system to crumble is a gamble it cannot afford to take.

Read: A storm is brewing in South Africa