Pretoria CBD must boil tap water: the areas affected and what to do
Ragesoss, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The City of Tshwane has told residents and businesses in the Pretoria CBD and surrounding suburbs to boil their tap water before drinking it or cooking with it, after tests found microbiological contamination in water from Findlay Reservoir (City of Tshwane).
The advisory stays in place until further notice. The City says it will only lift it once more testing confirms the water is safe.
Which areas must boil water?
The City lists these areas (TimesLIVE, citing the City of Tshwane):
- Pretoria Central and parts of Pretoria and Townlands
- Arcadia, Sunnyside and Trevenna
- Marabastad, Asiatic Bazaar and Asiatic Bazaar Extension 1
- Phillip Nel Park and Belle Ombre
- Cape Boys' Location, Despoort, Elandspoort, Prinsof and Skougronde
- Pretoria Extensions 1, 9, 11 and 14
- Pretoria Town and Townlands 346-JR, Pretoria and Townlands 351-JR, and Pretoria and Tshwane
What caused the contamination?
Testing on 21 October picked up the problem. According to the City, a sewer pipe burst unexpectedly and let contaminated water into the supply, pushing microbial levels beyond what the reservoir's normal chlorination could handle (City of Tshwane).
Findlay Reservoir usually runs on a mix of underground water and Rand Water supply. The City says it isolated the source, emptied the reservoir and switched the affected areas to Salvokop Reservoir. Teams are flushing the network to clear out contaminated water (City of Tshwane).
Is this linked to Bronkhorstspruit?
No. The City says this incident is separate from and unrelated to the water crisis in Bronkhorstspruit, where residents were told to use tap water only for flushing toilets (City of Tshwane; City of Tshwane notice).
What should you do with your tap water?
The City's guidance (City of Tshwane; TimesLIVE):
- Bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before drinking it, cooking, preparing food or brushing teeth. Let it cool first.
- Don't drink unboiled tap water or use it to prepare food.
- Throw away stored tap water and ice made from tap water.
- Pass the advisory on to neighbours and tenants.
Where can you get safe water?
The City says it will send water tankers to affected communities and will announce tanker locations and times. Check the City of Tshwane website and its official social media for those details and for the notice lifting the advisory (City of Tshwane).
FAQ
Which Pretoria areas have a boil-water advisory?
Pretoria Central, Arcadia, Sunnyside, Marabastad, Asiatic Bazaar, Phillip Nel Park, Belle Ombre, Trevenna and several Pretoria extensions and townland areas supplied by Findlay Reservoir, according to the City of Tshwane.
How long must I boil Pretoria tap water?
The City says to bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute and let it cool before drinking, cooking, preparing food or brushing teeth.
What caused the Pretoria CBD water contamination?
The City of Tshwane says a sewer pipe burst let contaminated water into the Findlay Reservoir supply, and microbial levels rose beyond what normal chlorination could treat. It was detected on 21 October 2026.
Is the Pretoria CBD advisory linked to Bronkhorstspruit?
No. The City says it is separate from and unrelated to the Bronkhorstspruit water crisis.
When will the Pretoria boil-water advisory be lifted?
Only once further testing confirms the water is safe. The City says it will announce when the advisory is lifted.