A power outage at the Lethabo Raw Water Pumping Station has caused widespread water supply disruptions across Gauteng, with multiple municipalities and suburbs now facing shortages.
Power blackout at Lethabo deepens Rand Water crisis
Rand Water confirmed that the outage, which occurred at 09:55 on Sunday, 16 February 2025, halted water pumping operations at the Vereeniging Water Purification Plant.
Eskom technicians were dispatched to the site, where they identified and repaired damaged insulators, restoring power.
However, Rand Water has warned that it will take several hours to resume pumping at full capacity at key stations, including Amanzimtoti, Eikenhof, and Zwartkopjes.
The outage is expected to exacerbate Gauteng’s ongoing water crisis, which has already placed pressure on hospitals, schools, and government buildings.
Rand Water has urged residents to immediately reduce consumption, warning that prolonged overuse could lead to a system collapse.
These areas are affected
The water supply disruptions will impact residents, industries, and direct consumers in multiple municipalities.
According to Rand Water, customers served by the VVS system (Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, and Sasolburg) as well as those linked to the Forest Hill, Yeoville, Benoni, and Eikenhof systems will experience water shortages.
The following municipalities will be affected:
- Emfuleni
- Metsimaholo
- Midvaal
- Ngwathe
- Rustenburg
- Royal Bafokeng Administration
- Rand West
- Merafong
- Mogale City
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Ekurhuleni
This outage comes just days after a total power supply failure at the Emfuleni power substation on Monday, 11 February 2025, which also disrupted the Vereeniging Water Treatment Plant.
Johannesburg’s worsening water situation has already led to severe consequences, including the forced closure of the Gauteng High Court last week due to inadequate sanitation facilities.
The Office of the Chief Justice stated that without reliable water access, it was unable to maintain operational standards, leading to the postponement of cases.
Rand Water has confirmed that efforts are underway to stabilize the situation, but further disruptions remain possible.
