Residents across South Africa’s largest metropolis have suffered as a result of the current heatwave, with some being without water for more than a week.
Johannesburg Water, a public water services provider, claims decreased reservoir levels and greater water demand are also contributing to the city’s chronic water issue.
“The reduced flow into Johannesburg Water’s Linden 1 and Blairgowrie reservoirs is mainly due to an increase in demand caused by hot weather conditions, as well as reservoirs being critically low to empty,” Johannesburg Water wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday (March 11).
Johannesburg Water said technical staff were monitoring all affected systems, and outflows from dangerously low reservoirs will be throttled overnight to increase capacity, according to a customer notification.
Power failures were also reported to have affected the Eikenhof pump station, leaving inhabitants of Johannesburg and broader Soweto with sporadic water delivery.
The present water issue started late last year and has exacerbated in recent weeks.
A backup water supply is currently available to affected communities.
