Water-shedding warning for Gauteng

South Africa’s Gauteng province, the nation’s commercial hub, may face water restrictions next year because the bulk supplier has been drawing down more resources than it’s allowed, News24 reported, citing a report by the Department of Water and Sanitation. 

Rand Water currently extracts 5.2 billion litres of water daily, surpassing its licensed allowance of 4.38 billion litres.

The department warned the company that if it continued to take more water out of the Integrated Vaal System than it’s allowed, curbs would need to be imposed, News24 said. 

The situation may be exacerbated by a six-month maintenance shutdown of the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel in October, which is expected to place further strain on water supplies to Gauteng and other provinces.

Rand Water serves municipalities in Gauteng, including Johannesburg, the capital, Pretoria, and the industrial hub of Ekurhuleni, which are responsible for distributing water to residents.

The news website said that the municipalities are facing severe infrastructure challenges, losing as much as 46% of the water supplied by Rand Water because of leaks, theft, or inefficient systems.

Municipalities in Gauteng implemented Level 1 water restrictions this week until March 2025, Rand Water spokeswoman Makenosi Maroo told Newzroom Afrika on 16 September.