Contamination crisis hits South Africa’s capital – 22 more areas urged to boil water before drinking
The City of Tshwane has activated an alternative water supply for the city of Pretoria after tests confirmed that the city’s water had been contaminated.
“The City of Tshwane confirms that water-quality testing detected microbiological non-compliance affecting water supplied from Findlay Reservoir on 21 October 2026,” the City of Tshwane said.
The Findlay Reservoir is supplied by a combination of underground water and water from the country’s bulk water utility, Rand Water.
The municipality said that the underground water is usually “high quality” and requires minimal chlorination.
It explained that the contamination was caused by a burst sewer pipe, which allowed contaminated water to enter the water supply system.
This resulted in elevated microbial levels that exceeded the capacity of the existing chlorination measures.
The municipality said it has isolated the source of the contamination and emptied the Findlay Reservoir after detecting contamination in the water.
Residents of Pretoria, specifically Pretoria CBD and surrounds, have been switched to an alternative supply from Salvokop Reservoir.
“This incident is separate from and unrelated to the ongoing water crisis in Bronkhorstspruit,” the municipality said.
The City of Tshwane has urged residents and businesses in the affected areas to boil tap water before using it, until further notice.
The following areas are affected:
- Arcadia
- Asiatic Bazaar
- Asiatic Bazaar Extension 1
- Belle Ombre 636-JR
- Cape Boys’ Location
- Daspoort 319-JR
- Elandspoort 357-JR
- Marabastad
- Phillip Nel Park
- Pretoria
- Pretoria Central
- Pretoria Extension 1
- Pretoria Extension 9
- Pretoria Extension 11
- Pretoria Extension 14
- Pretoria Town and Townlands 346-JR
- Pretoria and Townlands 351-JR
- Pretoria and Tshwane
- Prinshof 349-JR
- Skougronde 648-JR
- Sunnyside
- Trevenna
The City of Tshwane urged residents and businesses to take the following precautions:
- Discard stored tap water and ice made from tap water
- Bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before using it for drinking, cooking, preparing food or brushing teeth. Allow it to cool before use.
- Do not consume unboiled tap water or use it to prepare food
- Share this advisory with neighbours, tenants and others who may be affected
“The city will also provide access to safe drinking water through water tankers deployed to affected communities. Tanker locations and availability will be communicated to residents,” said the municipality.
Although the affected source has been isolated and an alternative supply activated, the municipality has urged residents to continue to observe the boil-water advisory until further testing confirms that the water is safe for consumption.
The city said it will continue to monitor water quality, flush the affected network, and undertake the necessary corrective work.
“Further updates will be provided as the work progresses, including confirmation of when the advisory can safely be lifted.”
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