In a notice issued by the metro, residents were informed temporary water rationing has been implemented from the Brandkop reservoir from Saturday (14/2). According to the statement, Brandkop outlets will be closed daily from 21:00 to 04:00 until further notice.

The metro said the supply system is under severe strain following water pump failures caused by high silt levels and cavitation. This has reduced water treatment capacity to approximately 12 000 litres per second.

Areas affected by the rationing include Gardeniapark, Fleurdal, Pellisier, Ehrlichpark, Hospitaal Park, Universitas, Fichardtpark, General de Wet, and surrounding suburbs.

The municipality has urged residents to use water sparingly and avoid non-essential consumption during this period.

Frustration among residents has been mounting, particularly over what they describe as a persistent gap between official announcements of water restoration and the actual return of supply to their taps. 

The delays are not due to a failure to reopen supply lines but rather the result of storage levels and specific system constraints, said Mangaung MMC for Infrastructure Services Vusi Sogaqa.

Storage levels

“The delays are a result of storage levels and specific system constraints rather than a failure to reopen the supply lines.” 

The recent rationing measures are temporary and aimed at managing the city’s limited reserves, stressed Sogaqa.

“Storage levels and system constraints mean it is not intended to be permanent. With supply restored, our focus is on maintaining system stability through close monitoring, pressure management, and operational control while storage continues to recover.” 

The current priority for technical teams is to ensure the network remains stable while reservoir levels gradually recover. 

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OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg