Joburg water supply shows signs of recovery after weeks of outages, says Morero
In an update, Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero said residents affected by prolonged water outages may begin to see relief after Joburg Water reported an improvement in the city’s overall system capacity.
This comes after residents in Bedfordview and other parts of Johannesburg took to social media to complain about water shortages, with some saying they had been without water for more than two weeks.
Morero said strengthened interventions by Joburg Water had resulted in improved system capacity and increased bulk water supply.
“Fellow residents of Johannesburg, I would like to provide an update on the ongoing water supply challenges affecting parts of Johannesburg. We are beginning to see positive progress following strengthened interventions by Joburg Water. Overnight, our system capacity improved, allowing increased bulk water supply and the gradual recovery of affected systems,” said Morero.
He said recovery had begun at Grand Central Tower, Crown Gardens Reservoir and Tower, South Hills Tower and the Alexander Park Reservoir Bypass.
Restoration efforts were also continuing in affected parts of Sandton, Midrand, Randburg, Roodepoort, Commando and central Johannesburg.
I am encouraged by the progress being made following intensified interventions by Johannesburg Water, with some affected systems beginning to recover.
Our teams remain on the ground working to stabilise supply across the City.
I urge residents to continue using water sparingly as recovery efforts continue. I remain committed to keeping residents informed and working towards restoring reliable water supply.— Executive Mayor: @CityofJoburgZA (@DadaMorero) November 1, 2026
However, Morero cautioned that the recovery would not be immediate, with some communities likely to continue experiencing low water pressure and interruptions as reservoirs and towers replenish.
“Our technical teams remain on the ground implementing targeted interventions, attending to outstanding repairs and working to stabilise the supply. We recognise the inconvenience and frustrations this situation has caused. I appeal to all residents to use water sparingly during this recovery period and to work with us as we address these challenges,” he said.
In a separate update, Joburg Water said its overall system capacity had improved, though recovery remained uneven across the city. The utility said several reservoirs had recorded improvements, while other systems remained critically low, resulting in low pressure, intermittent supply or no water:
Joburg Water said high demand continued to affect Deep South systems, where scheduled outlet closures remained in place to support recovery.
“Restoration will remain gradual and carefully managed to avoid overwhelming the network and rapidly depleting recovering reservoirs,” the entity said.
Morero said residents would continue receiving updates on the progress of restoration efforts, including through community meetings.
He also urged residents to exercise their democratic right and vote in the November 4 elections.