Johannesburg’s northern suburbs run out of water

Some parts of Johannesburg’s northern areas were left without water on Tuesday after a major pipe burst in Steyn City.

The city’s water utility, Joburg Water, said repair work started earlier and could take hours until the evening.

“We kindly advise residents to store water and prepare themselves before water is completely cut off. Residents will be without water for longer period, please make necessary arrangements to have water for late evening. Water tanks will be made available at schools in the affected areas,” said the utility.

The affected areas include Northriding, Craigavon, Maroeladal, Bloubosrand, Cedar Lakes, Cedar Creek, Witkoppen, Kya Sands, Farmhall, Steyn City, Needwood and Chartwell.

Joburg Water advised residents to switch off geysers when they leave home to avoid possible damage caused by the water cut off.

Meanwhile, the Department of Water and Sanitation has urged South Africans to use water sparingly as the worsening drought has resulted in lower dam levels.

A heatwave hit most parts of the country which saw a significant increase in water use. The City of Johannesburg said as a result it was forced to shut down supply in Midrand and some parts of Soweto.

Five provinces are severely affected by the drought and have been declared disaster areas, with KwaZulu-Natal the worst affected. Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West have also been affected.