Johannesburg residents protest prolonged water outages — Daily Maverick
In Johannesburg, South Africa, residents of Kensington, Parktown, Melville and Lenasia held protests over prolonged water supply outages. People demanded that city authorities restore water supply, provide clear timelines for repairs and ensure accountability for the condition of the network, Daily Maverick reports.
On October 29, Kensington residents gathered at the intersection of Queen Street and Albertina Sisulu Road. Among the participants was 66-year-old barber Neil Holland, who said that he cannot work fully without water: the salon needs water to wash hair and rinse out dye. According to him, customers have to be turned away, and the business's income has dropped sharply.
The reservoir is operating in bypass mode
The disruptions in the city's eastern suburbs are linked to the Alexander Park reservoir, which supplies water to 12 areas, including Kensington, Bez Valley and Malvern. The facility has been operating in bypass mode for several months because of postponed repairs, although funds for its maintenance had previously been allocated.
Independent water and sanitation expert Richard Holden explained that in this mode, the reservoir does not build up a pressure reserve. When Rand Water restricts main supply, there is no reserve to deliver water to streets located at higher elevations. Holland also pointed to leaks of clean water from burst pipes which, he said, can remain unrepaired for days or weeks.
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Consequences for residents and the network
Downville resident Wilhelmina Martin said that her community has suffered from water shortages for more than 50 days. Because of multiple sclerosis and myasthenia, it is difficult for her to carry and lift water containers, so her husband handles this after work.
WaterCAN coordinator Nomsa Daela noted that elderly people are particularly vulnerable, as it is difficult for them to stand in lines for water tankers and carry 20-liter buckets. According to her, some pensioners are forced to pay other people to deliver water using their social benefits.
Holden states that approximately 30–35% of the treated water supplied to Johannesburg is lost through worn-out pipes and leaks from reservoirs. He also linked frequent accidents to periodic supply restrictions: when flow is restored in pipes, strong pressure fluctuations known as water hammer occur.
Johannesburg Water acknowledged the limitations of the water supply system and said it is carrying out supply regulation, leak detection and pipe repairs. The company also urged areas with high consumption to reduce water use.
