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Gauteng has an ongoing water crisis that has affected thousands of residents across the province.
The water crisis has been attributed to high water consumption, illegal connections and ageing infrastructure.
As a result, Johannesburg Water has identified dozens of areas across the city experiencing constrained or critically low water supply.
The areas under the spotlight
Johannesburg Water has flagged the following as its main areas of focus, though the utility noted that “this is not an exhaustive list.”
The areas are:
- Yeoville,
- Jabulani,
- Doornkop,
- Berea,
- Aeroton,
- Diepkloof,
- Cosmo City,
- Linden,
- Kensington B,
- Linksfield,
- South Hills,
- Naturena,
- Forest Hill,
- Power Park,
- Zondi,
- Lenasia,
- Orange Farm,
- Ivory Park, and
- The Sandton 1 and 2 meter areas.
Furthermore, Joburg Water revealed a list of high-consumption reservoirs and infrastructure serving.
These areas include:
- Sandton 1 and 2 meters,
- Yeoville Reservoir,
- Jabulani Reservoir,
- Stafford meter,
- Meadowlands Reservoir,
- Doornkop North Reservoir,
- Lenasia township,
- Forest Hill Reservoir,
- The Commando system covering Brixton, Crosby and Hursthill,
- Eagles Nest Reservoir,
- Zondi Reservoir,
- Power Park Reservoir,
- Diepsloot Reservoir,
- Honeydew Reservoir,
- Aeroton Reservoir,
- President Park 2 Reservoir,
- Orange Farm Reservoir,
- Cosmo City Reservoir,
- Protea Glen Reservoir, and
- Ennerdale Reservoir.
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Throttling to hit city overnight as supply constraints bite
Joburg Water also confirmed that water throttling will begin at approximately 6pm on 22 February 2026 and is expected to conclude at around 5am on 23 February 2026.
The utility cautioned that timings remain subject to logistical challenges encountered in the field.
It said the restrictions will not be uniform across the city. “The degree of restrictions will vary, with reductions ranging from 50% to 100%,” Joburg Water stated.
It added that a number of areas are subjected to throttling daily.
Among those facing daily throttling are:
- Orange Farm,
- Lawley,
- Lenasia,
- President Park,
- Diepsloot,
- Alexander Park,
- Berea,
- Brixton,
- Diepkloof,
- Orlando East,
- Doornkop, as well as the
- Grand Central water supply line running to Glen Austin.
A second tier of areas faces throttling through scheduled rotations as and when required by operational needs.
“Robertville Reservoir, Constantia Tower, Yeoville Pump Station (reduced pumping), Protea Glen Pump Station, Rabie Ridge Pump Station, Grand Central Pump Station,” the utility listed among those affected by rotational restrictions.
The following network valves will also be operated during the throttling period:
- White Ridge North Meter,
- Fleurhof at Help Mekaar Street,
- Gustav Road RW Direct Feed,
- Nick Toommy RW Direct Feed, and
- Van Lil RW Direct Feed.
Sandton holds steady while parts of the north face pressure concerns
The Sandton system, updated at 12:50pm on Sunday, presented one of the more stable pictures across the city’s water network.
Joburg Water confirmed that Illovo has improved and is supplying adequately, while Bryanston and Morningside are stable and supplying adequately across both their reservoir and tower infrastructure.
However, not all parts of the system are performing equally. “Linbro Park Reservoir is stable and supplying fairly,” Johannesburg Water noted.
It distinguished it from the stronger performance recorded at Linbro and Marlboro’s direct feeds, both of which are improving and supplying adequately. Randjieslaagte is improving and supplying fairly, while Dunkeld remains on bypass, though it is still supplying fairly.
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Deep South under severe strain as Ennerdale reaches critical low
The Deep South system, updated at 12:20pm, carries some of the most serious supply concerns of any zone assessed on Sunday.
Joburg Water reported that Ennerdale has reached a critically low level, warning that “poor pressure to no water may occur in higher-lying areas.”
The Lenasia area is also under significant pressure across multiple supply points.
The utility stated that the Lenasia Hospital Hill pump station has implemented “reduced pumping to Lenasia High Level Reservoir due reservoir low level,” while Lenasia High Level is described as “constrained and low” with poor pressure to no water expected.
Lenasia township has been identified as one of the primary areas of focus for water managers.
Lawley is constrained with poor pressure expected, while Orange Farm, though constrained, is supplying fairly well with daily interventions in place.
“Lenasia Cosmos Reservoir is stable and supplying fairly,” Joburg Water confirmed.
Midrand sees pockets of stability amid widespread constraints
As of 13:00, the Midrand system showed a mixed picture, with most areas constrained but still delivering a fair supply to residents. Johannesburg Water confirmed that Rabie Ridge is stable and supplying adequately across both its reservoir and tower – making it one of the few bright spots across the entire Midrand system.
Grand Central is improving with restoration in progress, while Erand is constrained and supplying fairly.
“President Park Reservoir is constrained, supplying fairly, with daily interventions in place,” Joburg Water said.
It noted that the President Park Tower is on bypass and constrained but supplying fairly.
Both Diepsloot and Steyn City are constrained but supplying fairly. Diepsloot has been separately identified as one of the high-consumption areas under Joburg Water’s focus.
“Cosmo City and Honeydew are also among the main areas of focus,” the utility noted, though detailed system-level data for those two areas was not included in Sunday’s batch of updates.
Soweto constrained across the board with Meadowlands flagged for low pressure
The Soweto system update, issued at 13:10, painted a picture of widespread but managed constraint.
Joburg Water confirmed that the majority of areas across the system are constrained but supplying fairly, with Diepkloof standing out as stable and supplying fairly.
Meadowlands, however, presented a more pressing concern. Joburg Water warned that conditions there are “constrained but supplying fairly,” adding that “poor pressure to no water may occur.”
Meadowlands has been separately identified as one of the key high-consumption areas drawing the utility’s attention across Soweto.
The Doornkop and Jabulani areas, along with Zondi, Power Park, and Orlando East, are constrained but still manage to supply fairly.
“Jabulani Reservoir is on bypass, supplying fairly,” Joburg Water confirmed, while Jabulani Tower is constrained but supplying fairly.
Central system stabilising with most areas on fair to adequate supply
The Central system update, issued at 13:30, provided one of the more reassuring reads of the day, with several areas showing improvement and a number delivering adequate supply.
Joburg Water confirmed that South Hills is stable and supplying adequately, Aeroton has improved and is supplying adequately, and Parktown 2 is stable and supplying adequately.
Alexander Park and Berea have both improved and are supplying fairly, with Johannesburg Water noting that “daily interventions are in place” at both sites.
The Hector Norris Pump Station is stable and supplying fairly, though the utility cautioned that “certain parts may experience poor pressure.”
Forest Hill is on bypass but supplying fairly. “Eagles Nest Reservoir is improving and supplying fairly.”
Both Forest Hill and Eagles Nest appear on the utility’s high-consumption focus list, alongside Aeroton.
The Yeoville area has improved and is supplying fairly across both its reservoir and pump station, while Crown Gardens Tower has improved and is supplying fairly, though Crown Gardens Reservoir remained constrained but is supplying fairly.
Commando system records the only critical red status
The Commando system update, the last to be issued at 13:35 on Sunday, was the only one to record a critically low status across all of Sunday’s updates.
Joburg Water confirmed that Brixton is “constrained and low” with its outlet closed, a red-level designation indicating a critical situation requiring urgent intervention.
Brixton Tower is low with pumping in progress, while Crosby has improved and was supplying fairly.
Joburg Water noted that Hursthill 1 and Hursthill 2 are both on bypass, stating that they are “supplying fairly but poor pressure to no water is expected in higher-lying areas.”
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