Joburg Water tightens grip on supply as El Niño threat grows

Johannesburg Water said on Wednesday that it was stepping up interventions to protect the city’s water supply as El Niño placed growing pressure on an already strained system.

“The Entity is focusing on active management of the water supply system, using a range of interventions to balance available water resources with demand,” Joburg Water said in a statement.

Utility tightens its response

According to the utility, reservoir levels were being actively managed, with throttling and restrictions introduced at reservoirs, pump stations and informal settlements where necessary.

Pressure management across the network is also being strengthened to optimise available water and reduce unnecessary losses.

“The Entity is further prioritising the repair of water leaks and bursts, including addressing both the existing backlog and newly reported incidents,” Joburg Water said.

“First-line response interventions are also being strengthened to ensure that operational challenges are attended to as quickly as possible.”

Why El Niño is a concern

El Niño is a natural climate pattern known to bring hotter and drier conditions to southern Africa, Joburg Water explained.

The utility highlighted that the Department of Water and Sanitation had warned that this could place further strain on supplies that were already limited.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) said the 2026-27 El Niño event was expected to be unusually powerful, with 2027 likely to become the warmest year on record.

“The latest predictions are indicative that the El Niño will likely intensify further to become the strongest event in living memory,” the weather service said, adding, “The latest seasonal forecast of the South African Weather Service for the October to December 2026 period indicates that below-normal rainfall is the most likely outcome over most of South Africa.”

Residents urged to cut back

Joburg Water said households needed to help by fixing leaking taps and pipes, turning off running taps and watering gardens only before 6am or after 6pm.

A running tap could waste up to six litres of water a minute, the utility warned.

“Every drop saved helps reduce pressure on the water supply system,” Joburg Water said, calling on residents to treat conservation as a long-term responsibility rather than a response to crisis.