CITY of Johannesburg ( CoJ) mayor, Dada Morero this week promised residents that their taps will never run dry, despite parts of the city experiencing water woes in recent months.
Morero said interventions were in place to prevent the ongoing water crisis. He also refuted claims that residents will reach a point of no water.
The briefing was held in Brixton where the CoJ and Joburg Water are currently building a reservoir to ease the water burden on residents.
Morero conceded that the city is currently facing a severe water crisis due to ongoing drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, high levels of non-revenue water, illegal connections, and infrastructure challenges.
He said the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS), is the city's primary water source and that it’s under severe strain, with reservoir levels dropping to a critical threshold.
“We have decided as a city to implement various restrictions, with potential escalation to emergency stages if water supply does not improve. Given the severity of the situation, a coordinated, high-level approach is necessary to manage the crisis effectively,” said Morero.
He said the city’s entity, Johannesburg Water (JW) must strike a difficult balancing act to handle water consumption that is outpacing supply because of the uncertainty surrounding future trends in population expansion, water demand, infrastructure investment needs, and budget constraints. This trend places immense strain on our bulk water system and jeopardises the sustainability of our water supply.
“The entity is addressing more than just the issue of consumption. The unaccounted-for water lost through leaks is equally concerning. Better water demand management is required to address both excessive use and water losses. The Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Strategy is a 5-year strategy that was revised and updated in October of the 2021/22 financial year,” he said.
Morero revealed strategic interventions which he said will focus on the repairs of leaking reservoirs and tower infrastructure, repair and replacement of zonal bulk water meters, active and passive leak detection, retrofitting and removal of wasteful devices (Infrastructure upgrade and renewal), by-law enforcement (Illegal connection cut-off and reconnections), replacement and refurbishment of large gate valves, water pipe replacement and domestic and large consumer meter.
“The strategy aims to reduce demand by 37 123 Mega litres per annum, from the technical interventions. Water Conservation initiatives will contribute with further demand reduction,” said Morero.
He said a collaboration between Rand Water and the City of Johannesburg was initiated in February 2024 to intervene on increasing water consumption within the city of Johannesburg. Subsequently, several meetings convened between CoJ and Rand Water to formulate an action plan in response.
Morero said an action plan was drafted and implemented to focus on the top 30 bulk supply meters which accounts for 97% of the CoJ’s total
consumption.
“With Johannesburg's population on the rise, the need for a robust and efficient water supply and sanitation system is paramount. Johannesburg Water has an infrastructure renewal backlog to the value of R26 billion and water infrastructure accounting R11 billion. Funding limitations are delaying the eradication of this backlog resulting in further aging of infrastructure.
“Consequently, we firmly focusing on improving its water billing systems and investigating areas where non-revenue water is rising. Our teams have been set up to review billing volumes, and the current metering system is being enhanced to track revenue and non-revenue water more effectively,” he said..
Morero reminded residents that level-1 water restrictions are currently in place.
“These are implemented annually from 1 September to 31 March of the following year. However, conserving water is a year-round responsibility. The restrictions are put in place to ensure the stability of our systems, because with the warmer weather, there’s a sharp increase in demand which risks outstripping supply,” said Morero.
The restrictions prohibit the use of hosepipes to water gardens, wash cars, clean driveways, and fill up swimming pools and water features. Morero said the Entity will continue to mitigate water losses and improve the reliability of water supply.
“We urge Johannesburg residents and businesses in the city to work with us
in addressing the unsustainably high-water consumption, particularly during
warmer months. Collective efforts are essential to safeguard our water resources for future generations. The city unveiled their campaign called the ‘Vikela Amanzi, Protect our Tomorrow’ to confront the escalating water supply challenge that threatens communities and the future“.he added.
Morero said this urgent campaign calls on every resident, business, and visitor to reduce water usage and protect the city’s vital water resources.
“With Johannesburg under Level 1 water restrictions, we need all hands on deck to ensure that we #SaveEveryDropJHB and safeguard our water supply for the days ahead. Join us in becoming a Water Guardian to Vikela Amanzi, Protect our Tomorrow by conserving every drop and supporting Johannesburg’s resilience," he said.
Morero said through the campaign, they aim to inspire, educate, and equip the public with tools to reduce water consumption, fix leaks, and champion water-saving efforts.
The Star
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