JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has blamed the rapid rate of water use for reservoirs being unable to keep up with demand.
He was providing an update on the water situation on Monday alongside Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi
According to Morero, the city’s overall water storage has improved to 41% after days of supply problems.
But he warned residents that they may still experience throttling or low pressure as teams adjust flow and network pressure to divert water to areas that need it.
“Our reservoirs have struggled to recover because water is being used faster than reservoirs and towers can refill, and high-lying areas have been hit the hardest. Some reservoirs, including Hursthill, remain bypassed because of leaks.
“Labour action in Johannesburg also contributed to delayed interventions, which we needed to do to stabilise the system. However, overall storage across the Johannesburg water supply system has improved to 41 percent and up from 37 percent.”
Joburg Water is also acquiring its own water tanker fleet. This is to help reduce pressure on the municipality and avoid outsourcing when times get tough.
Morero said approximately 60 trucks will be made available.
“In 2025, 20 tankers were procured and are fully operational. In the second phase, 16 tankers have been procured; six are active, five have been delivered and have been prepared for operation this month, and the remaining five are due during 2026-2027 budget.
“A further 20 tankers are planned for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 budget, and once complete, the fleet of approximately 60 trucks will replace contracted vehicles for daily services to informal settlements, and the savings will be redirected to other demand management projects that reduce physical losses, bulk purchases, and consumption," Morero explained.
Meanwhile, Lesufi said he continues to hold weekly meetings with municipalities and the water and sanitation minister to find permanent solutions for the ongoing water crisis.
He said his priority is to ensure all communities have water.