This Weeks Water Supply Maintenance Work

The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will be doing planned work in the identified areas, which will result in water supply disruption. This critical maintenance work is done on our water supply infrastructure to benefit customers. Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to take note of the work that will take place and prepare accordingly.

Maintenance work, including pipe and valve installations, repairs and replacements

Residents are advised to store enough water in advance as a precautionary measure. Water should be stored in clean, sealed containers.

This precaution does not guarantee all residents will have a water disruption, but aims to ensure they are able to prepare in the event that it does occur.

Planned maintenance work will result in water supply disruption to these areas: 

Hanover Park, Athlone, Rylands, Newfields, Pinati Estate, Belthorn Estate, Penlyn Estate and Belgravia

The Water and Sanitation Directorate’s appointed contractor is conducting low-pressure investigations to improve the pressures in these areas. The project commenced on 9 June 2025 and is expected to run for approximately five months. Investigations are currently continuing in the Athlone area with a focus on the Belthorn and Crawford Estate suburbs. Intermittent water pressure disruptions may be experienced temporarily from 09:00 to 17:00 during the week of Monday, 21 to Friday, 25 July 2025. The work will involve tracing, verification and positioning of the valves in the pipeline along Taronga Road, Camberwell Road, Haywood Road and surrounding streets.

Thembokwezi in Khayelitsha

The water supply to Thembokwezi in Khayelitsha will be shut off temporarily from 08:00 until 18:00 on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. This will allow the maintenance team to conduct a tie-in of the newly installed pipeline in Morningstar Drive to the existing water supply infrastructure. Residents in Thembokwezi will experience no water during this period. Water tankers will be made available to provide water for domestic use during this period.

Protea Village in parts of Bishopscourt

Maintenance teams will be doing a temporary shut-off of the water main in Winchester Avenue from 09:00 until 18:00 on Thursday, 24 July 2025. Two new connections will be done to the existing water supply infrastructure. Residents in Winchester Avenue from Kirstenbosch Drive to Bishopscourt Drive and possibly immediate surrounds will experience no water during this period.

Lansdowne, Kenwyn and Turfhall Softball Sport Complex

Maintenance teams will be doing a test shut-off of the 535mm diameter bulk reticulation water main in Turfhall Road from 09:00 until 16:00 on Thursday, 24 July 2025. This is in preparation for a future shut-off to determine the actual affected areas. Residents  will experience low water pressure or no water during this period.

Muizenberg and Vrygrond

The Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply in Sanderling Road which from 09:00 until 17:00 on Thursday, 24 July 2025 to install a new control valve on the water supply network. Alternate water supply will be rerouted to Muizenberg and Vrygrond during this period.

This work forms part of the Water and Sanitation Directorate’s proactive infrastructure maintenance and upgrade programme, which ensures the future continuity of water supply by addressing the issue of unaccounted for water.

Zero-pressure tests (ZPT) and conditional assessments will be done on the water supply network resulting in water supply disruptions in the following areas:

Wednesday, 23 July 2025, from 10:00 until 16:00: Olive Grove and surrounding streets.

Thursday, 24 July 2025, from 10:00 until 16:00: Bizweni 1 in Somerset West.

Zero-pressure testing and step-testing are part of the installation process for zone management infrastructure. Tests are done in advance to see if any unmapped inflows need to be considered before installing new infrastructure (such as pressure reducing valves for pressure management).

In these affected areas, some residents may experience low water pressure while some may have no water during the testing period. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict which exact areas or streets will experience disruptions.

Additional zone management investigations will be carried out to ensure that existing infrastructure is operating effectively. Pressure fluctuations may be experienced, but every effort will be made to minimise the impact as far as possible.

This work forms part of the City’s Water Demand Management Strategy. Managing water pressure more effectively reduces the possibility of pipe bursts and water wastage.

The City sincerely regrets any inconvenience.

What residents need to know about larger-scale planned water supply disruptions:

1. Careful consideration has been given to the planning of this work to ensure it is being done at a time that is least disruptive to the water supply.
2. All sites where water and sanitation repairs and upgrades are conducted are deemed to be construction sites and, as such, are off-limits to members of the public.
3. Sometimes the maintenance work can be more complex than anticipated, which means the work could take longer.
4. For a short period after the supply has been restored, the water may be discoloured or look milky. This is because of trapped air in the pipes. If left to stand in a glass, the appearance will become clear, like normal.

For updates on the maintenance work (and location of tankers where applicable), follow @CityofCTAlerts which is a City of Cape Town X account.

How residents are advised to prepare for planned water supply disruptions:

1. Store enough water in clean, sealed containers in advance for use during this period.
2. Keep your taps closed to prevent any water loss and/or damage when the water supply is restored.