Joburg Water tightens grip on supply as El Niño threat grows
Joburg Water said households need to help by fixing leaking taps and pipes, turning off running taps, and watering gardens only before 6am or after 6pm.
Johannesburg Water is intensifying its efforts to safeguard the city's water supply as the El Niño phenomenon poses a growing threat to the already stressed system. The utility outlined that it is implementing active management strategies to balance the available water resources with the increasing demand. Amid the heightened pressure, reservoir levels are being actively monitored, and throttling and restrictions are being imposed at reservoirs, pump stations, and informal settlements as needed.
The pressure management across the network is being reinforced to optimize the existing water and minimize unnecessary losses. The utility is also prioritizing the repair of leaks and bursts, addressing both the existing backlog and the newly reported incidents. Moreover, first-line response interventions are being strengthened to ensure that operational challenges are addressed promptly.
El Niño, a natural climate pattern, is known to bring hotter and drier conditions to southern Africa, according to Johannesburg Water. The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that this could exacerbate the already limited water supplies. The South African Weather Service (Saws) has predicted that the 2026-27 El Niño event is expected to be unusually powerful, making 2027 the warmest year on record.
The latest forecast indicates that below-normal rainfall is the most likely outcome over most of South Africa during the October to December 2026 period. To alleviate the pressure on the water supply system, Johannesburg Water urged residents to contribute by fixing leaking taps and pipes, turning off running taps, and watering gardens only before 6 am or after 6 pm.
A running tap can waste up to six liters of water per minute, the utility cautioned. The authority emphasized that every drop saved plays a crucial role in reducing the strain on the water supply system and called on residents to view conservation as a long-term responsibility rather than a reactive measure to the crisis.
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