Rand Water is preparing to kick off an extensive planned maintenance programme from May to July, impacting various municipalities throughout Gauteng.

Starting on May 29, the water utility is staggering the critical maintenance work at different times and locations across various municipalities, with the main maintenance operation scheduled to be completed at 17h00 on June 2, with the entire programme completed by July 21.

The planned maintenance, strategically scheduled during the low consumption months of May to July to minimise disruptions and better manage the potential impact on water supply, aims to increase capacity and improve plant availability, reliability and operational efficiency.

This will support a more resilient and adaptable water supply network ahead of the expected increase in supply volumes from August.

During the maintenance period, pumping capacity will be reduced at the Eikenhof, Palmiet, Mapleton and Zwartkopjes systems, with areas within the cities of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane possibly experiencing low water pressure or intermittent supply.

The maintenance may also impact water provision to the local municipalities of Rand West, Mogale City, Merafong, Madibeng, Lesedi, Govan Mbeki, Rustenburg and Royal Bafokeng Administration, as well as Victor Khanye, Thembisile Hani, Midvaal and Emfuleni.

Rand Water’s planned tie-in of B16 pipeline from Zuikerbosch Station 5, which will take pumping at the Mapleton pumping station offline for 107 hours, from 03h00 on May 29 to 17h00 on June 2, is expected to impact the cities of Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, as well as the Thembisile Hani, Lesedi, Govan Mbeki and Victor Khanye local municipalities and all direct customers and industries.

The major work comprises connecting the newly constructed B16 pipeline, which will be supplying water from the new Station 5A at Zuikerbosch water treatment plant, to Engine Room 3 at the Mapleton booster pumping station.

During this time, the City of Ekurhuleni will also take an opportunity to carry out maintenance on their electrical infrastructure.

Also on the agenda is the Klipriviersberg isolation for cleaning and inspection, where pumping will be reduced to 67% for 10 hours, from 06h00 to 16h00 on June 3, impacting the Palmiet System, which will affect meters across the Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Johannesburg metropolitan municipalities, as well as the Madibeng local municipality.

Further impacting the Palmiet System supply to the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality, particularly the Southern area and Barlow road meters, is the 12-hour Russel Road meter installation from 06h00 to 18h00 on June 3.

Rand Water is also undertaking pipe leak repairs at the Zuikerbosch plant, from 05h00 on June 30 to 05h00 on July 2, over a period of 48 hours.

This will affect the Eikenhof System’s supply to multiple municipalities, including the City of Johannesburg metropolitan municipality and the Mogale, Merafong, Royal Bafokeng, Rand West, Rustenburg and Madibeng local municipalities.

A 21-day cleaning of sedimentation tanks at the Vereeniging plant, from 05h00 on June 30 to July 21, will affect areas supplied by the Eikenhof System, with no pumping for an initial six hours, before pumping resumes at 50% for 42 hours and then increases to 80% for the remaining 19 days.

This will impact meters across the Johannesburg metropolitan municipality, as well as the Mogale, Merafong, Royal Bafokeng, Rand West, Madibeng and Rustenburg local municipalities.

The Zwartkopjes station valves replacements, from 05h00 on June 30 to 07h00 on July 2, will result in no pumping for the 50 hours duration of the maintenance work, impacting the Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg metropolitan municipalities.

In the Midvaal and Emfuleni local municipalities, the disconnection and removal of the Amanzimtoti Pump No 5 for overhaul will impact the VVS System from 18h00 on May 29 to at 07h30 on May 30. There will be no pumping at Amanzimtoti pumping station for 13.5 hours.

Rand Water has officially notified its municipal customers regarding the upcoming project within the prescribed 21-day prior notice arrangement.