Gauteng water outages today (5 November 2026): affected areas, causes and when water returns
Tshwane and Johannesburg may still have dry taps or low pressure on 5 November as low reservoirs refill slowly. Here are the affected areas and what to do.
Parts of Tshwane and Johannesburg may still have dry taps or low pressure on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Tshwane says several reservoirs in Regions 1, 3, 4 and 6 remain low after the Mapleton pumping station outage, and Johannesburg says supply is recovering slowly after disruptions that started on 19 October (City of Tshwane, Southern Courier).
Which Tshwane areas are affected?
In its latest update, Tshwane named these reservoirs as the main concerns (City of Tshwane):
| Region | Critically low or low | Holding steady |
|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Mabopane Main; Soshanguve L needs close attention | Ga-Rankuwa, Akasia, Winterveld, Mabopane Central |
| Region 3 | Klapperkop and Lotus Gardens critically low | Carina Street, Atteridgeville Low Level, Pretoria West, Queenswood, Lynnwood |
| Region 4 | Clifton East and West critically low; Brakfontein low; Bakenkop reduced | Atteridgeville High Level, Laudium, Louwlardia |
| Region 6 | Mamelodi R3 critically low; Erasmusrand low; Parkmore Low Level a concern | Elardus Park, Garsfontein Centre, Eersterust, Koedoesnek |
Tshwane warns that Carina Street could drop quickly in busy periods because it is fed by Klapperkop (City of Tshwane).
Which Johannesburg areas are affected?
At the mayor's latest briefing, Johannesburg Water said overall storage rose to 41% and should reach about 50% by the end of the week (Southern Courier):
| Area | Status |
|---|---|
| Bryanston, Illovo, Morningside | Under active management |
| Midrand (Grand Central Reservoir) | Critically low |
| Ivory Park, Allandale, Kaalfontein | Supply problems continue |
| Sundowner, North Riding, Northgate | Affected; technical team investigating |
| Yeoville, Berea, Crown Gardens | Recovering or full |
What caused it?
In Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, a power failure on 2 November stopped pumping at Rand Water's Mapleton station. Rand Water says pumping resumed at about half its normal rate, so low-lying areas recover first (EWN). In Johannesburg, the city blames Rand Water restrictions, high consumption, leaks, maintenance and labour action (Southern Courier).
When will water return?
Neither city has given a time for full restoration. Both say supply is coming back gradually as reservoirs refill, and that high use in the morning and evening slows recovery (City of Tshwane, Southern Courier). Yesterday's developments are in our 4 November article.
What should residents do?
Use water only for essentials, fix leaks quickly, and avoid watering gardens, washing cars with a hosepipe or filling pools (City of Tshwane). Johannesburg residents in areas without tanker deliveries are asked to alert the city (Southern Courier). Report outages through your municipality's official channels: Johannesburg Water on 011 375 5555 and Tshwane on 012 358 9999.
FAQ
Which Tshwane reservoirs are critically low?
Tshwane named Klapperkop, Lotus Gardens, Clifton East and West, and Mamelodi R3 as critically low.
When will Johannesburg water be back to normal?
There is no date. Johannesburg Water expects storage to reach about 50% by the end of the week, with supply returning gradually.
Why are my taps dry if pumping has resumed?
Reservoirs are refilling slowly, and high consumption, especially in the morning and evening, keeps levels low.