Planned Water Outage in Sandown Highlights Broader Concerns Over Gauteng’s Water Management
Residents and businesses in Sandown will experience a scheduled water outage on 25 February, from 9:00 to 18:00, affecting Alice Lane, West Street, and 5th Street. The disruption is necessary to connect a 160mm pipeline, a project aimed at improving water service delivery in the area.
Johannesburg Water has assured affected residents that details regarding alternative water supply measures will be provided. The upgrade is expected to enhance the reliability of the region’s water infrastructure.
The planned outage highlights broader concerns about water management in Gauteng. According to reports, the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutes of South Africa (AWSISA) estimates that the province loses approximately 2.6 billion litres of water daily due to inadequate municipal infrastructure management.
AWSISA spokesperson Dr Nndweleni Mphephu criticised municipalities for neglecting proactive maintenance, stating that they often react only when a pipe bursts rather than implementing long-term asset management plans. He stressed the importance of structured maintenance strategies to ensure sustainability.
Mphephu also urged municipalities to maximise the use of bulk regional and water service infrastructure grants. However, he warned that funding alone—whether through government grants or revenue collection—would not be enough to sustain water infrastructure in the long run.
Financial Struggles and Accountability
Another key issue contributing to water losses is non-payment by residents and businesses, further straining municipal resources. Mphephu called on all stakeholders, including provincial and national governments, to hold municipalities accountable for water service failures.
In addition to non-payment, rising municipal debt to water boards is compounding the crisis. By June 2024, this debt had soared to R22.36 billion, marking a 151% increase since 2019, according to the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation. The financial burden has significantly hindered municipalities’ ability to maintain critical infrastructure, worsening water service challenges across the province.