Water runs dry: Utility companies advise customers to start stockpiling water before weekend
RJohannesburg Water said on Thursday that infrastructure projects taking place over the next month were “not a crisis” and would not lead to a total shutdown of Johannesburg's water supply.
However, the water board is encouraging customers to stockpile adequate water before the weekend in preparation for major maintenance being carried out by water suppliers from June 22 to July 29.
The maintenance is being carried out to improve the reliability and efficiency of Rand Water's infrastructure and affects Johannesburg Water's systems supplied by Palmiet and Eikenhof pumping stations and Daleside booster station.
“We must stress that these activities are not shutdowns,” Johannesburg Water's senior operations manager Logan Mansamy said on Thursday at a briefing on the company's readiness for upcoming projects.
“We will not completely stop the supply of water to the water network. There will be different maintenance works carried out on different days and these maintenance works will result in a reduction in the flow of water into the water network.”
Water tanker, water tank
He said with reduced water flows into the distribution system, Johannesburg Water expected there could be reduced water volumes and pressure in certain areas, particularly in the highlands.
To mitigate this, 85 water tankers will be deployed in different areas as per requirement and 250 tankers will supply hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, schools, police stations etc.
Munsamy said water tankers would be dispatched to all areas and suburbs where they were needed as per the directions of city councillors.
“We have maintained extensive and ongoing communication with residents and council members prior to and throughout the closure period…
“While water tankers will be deployed, we urge residents to stockpile adequate amounts of water for essential and emergency needs ahead of the weekend.”
Residents should not rely solely on water trucks and storage tanks to meet their needs.
“We understand and recognize that some of our residents have health issues, they need to take medication, some need water to flush their toilets.
“This is not a crisis situation so there is no need to panic, but we are asking our customers to stockpile water for the duration of the outage to ensure we have water. We have begun filling our reservoirs with water so that they are as full as possible when the outages begin.”
What happens when
Rand Water has four main booster stations: Eikenhof, Palmiet, Mapleton and Zwartkopjes.
On June 24, pumping at Eichenhof pumping station will be reduced to 50% for eight hours, then increased to 67% for 64 hours. For the remainder of the project, Eichenhof will operate at 83% capacity for more than two weeks.
On June 24, pumping at Zwartkopies pumping station will be reduced to 50% for 27 hours. Pumping will be stopped at Daleside for four hours.
Pumping on the Palmietto system will not be affected during the project implementation in Ekurhuleni on June 28. On July 1, the station will operate at 60% for eight hours. On July 15, Palmietto will pump at 68% for 50 hours. On July 29, the system will pump at 76% for 40 hours.
Maintenance work on the Mapleton system began on July 5, with the pumps
Decreased to 73% for 24 hours. Pumping will not be affected on 19 July. Only 2 metres in Ekurhuleni City and 3 metres in Tshwane City will be affected for 39 hours. No pumping will take place on 26 July for 77 hours.
Benefits of Planned Maintenance
According to Rand Water, proactive infrastructure maintenance is important to maintain the quality and integrity of infrastructure and extend the life of assets.
Mansamy said Rand Water, like Johannesburg Water, runs its systems, which consist of mechanical, electrical and civil components, 24/7.
“Hydroelectric plants work hard, just like a car. You can't use your car for more than a certain number of mileage because if you don't maintain it, it will break down. Similarly, pumping stations, reservoirs and treatment facilities require preventative maintenance.”
The maintenance project will increase the availability and reliability of the pumping infrastructure, optimise infrastructure functionality, reduce downtime of Rand Water’s bulk supply infrastructure and improve continuity and reliability of supply through Johannesburg Water’s systems, particularly reservoirs, towers and direct supply areas.
“While these maintenance activities will cause inconvenience to residents, the long- and medium-term benefits will result in a more efficient and improved system,” he said.
