Before the Next Shutdown, Johannesburg Residents Deserve Answers on the Commando System Recovery

As communities across Johannesburg continue to experience water supply disruptions following Rand Water's recent maintenance programme, WaterCAN is calling for a public review of the recovery process and a clear plan ahead of the next scheduled maintenance intervention in July.

While maintenance is a necessary part of managing water infrastructure, the prolonged recovery period experienced across parts of the Commando system raises important questions about the resilience of the network and the City's preparedness for future maintenance events.

The Commando system serves several western and central Johannesburg communities, including Coronationville, Westbury, Claremont, Brixton, Crosby, Sophiatown, Melville, Emmarentia, Greenside and Parktown.

WaterCAN Executive Director Dr Ferrial Adam said the issue is no longer the maintenance itself, but understanding what happened during the recovery process and what lessons have been learned.

"We know that maintenance can result in temporary disruptions. What residents need to understand is why recovery has taken so long in some areas and what is being done to prevent a repeat of this experience during the next maintenance cycle," said Adam.

Every time there is a major outage, residents are told that the system is recovering. But what does recovery actually mean? Which reservoirs or towers have struggled to refill? Which areas have recovered more slowly than expected? What operational challenges emerged? What caused the breakdown at the Crosby Pump Station and to what extent did it contribute to the delayed recovery? How often has the station experienced similar failures in the past year? Most importantly, what lessons have been learned and what measures will be put in place before the next maintenance shutdown?"

WaterCAN said that while Johannesburg Water has provided updates throughout the maintenance period, the public still lacks a clear explanation of the factors that contributed to the delayed restoration of supply in affected areas.

"Communication is most important when water does not return as expected. Residents do not need generic statements that the system is recovering. They need simple, regular and empathetic updates that explain what has gone wrong, what is being done to resolve it and when they can realistically expect water to return," said Adam.

The organisation is therefore calling on Johannesburg Water to provide a public post-maintenance briefing that addresses:What factors contributed to the slow recovery of the Commando system;

• Which parts of the system experienced the greatest challenges during recovery;
• What interventions were required to restore supply;
• Whether any unexpected operational or infrastructure constraints were encountered; and
• What measures will be implemented ahead of the next planned maintenance shutdown.

"Residents are not looking for someone to blame. They are looking for information that helps them understand what happened and what can be expected in future," said Adam.

"The reality is that another major maintenance intervention is scheduled for July. The real test now is whether the City and Johannesburg Water can demonstrate that they have assessed the challenges experienced during this recovery period and put measures in place to reduce the impact on residents next time."

WaterCAN is also calling for more visible and accessible public communication during major outages and recovery periods.

Technical updates circulated through WhatsApp groups and social media channels are useful, but they should not replace regular public briefings that explain the status of the system, the challenges being experienced and the expected timelines for recovery.

"When water outages extend beyond expected timeframes, residents need more than generic updates. They need meaningful information that allows households, schools, clinics and businesses to plan accordingly," said Adam.

"Transparency is not simply about sharing updates. It is about helping the public understand what is happening, what is being done and what will be done differently in future."

As Johannesburg prepares for the next phase of maintenance, WaterCAN believes that a transparent review of the recent recovery process will help build public confidence and ensure that lessons learned translate into better planning, better communication and more resilient water services.