Planned water supply maintenance for 1 to 4 September 2025
31 August 2025
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will be doing planned work in the identified areas, which will result in water supply disruption. This critical maintenance work is done on our water supply infrastructure to benefit customers. Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to take note of the work that will take place and prepare accordingly.
Maintenance work, including pipe and valve installations, repairs and replacements
Residents are advised to store enough water in advance as a precautionary measure. Water should be stored in clean, sealed containers. This precaution does not guarantee all residents will have water disruption, but aims to ensure they are able to prepare in the event that it does occur.
Planned maintenance work will result in water supply disruption to these areas:
Part of Rylands
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has appointed a contractor, Carp Civils, to conduct a pipe replacement project in Mabel Road and Middel Road, Rylands from 1 September 2025 until 12 December 2025.
This may result in brief intermittent flow disruptions. Construction will be undertaken using pipe cracking technology, which may result in some noise and inconvenience during the course of the works. Normal working hours will be from 08:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. Work may also be carried out on weekends and public holidays. Prior notice will be provided when water supply disruptions will happen..
Protea Village – Brackenfell
Maintenance teams will be doing a temporary test shut-off of the water main to Protea Village in Brackenfell from 09:00 to 17:00 on Tuesday, 2 September 2025. This will enable the maintenance team to install three control valves on the main water supply pipeline as well as two fire hydrants on the network. Residents will experience no water supply during this period.
Manenberg, Bishop Lavis, Ravensmead West (Beaconvale, Parow Valley and Florida), Elsies River, Ruyterwacht and Paarden Eiland
The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has appointed a contractor to conduct field investigations to verify the operation of the existing water supply zones in the potable water network in the Manenberg, Bishop Lavis, Ravensmead West (Beaconvale, Parow Valley and Florida), Elsies River, Ruyterwacht and Paarden Eiland areas. The project is expected to run for approximately eleven months. The contractor will be conducting field investigations in Paarden Eiland from 09:00 until 15:00 on Wednesday, 3 September 2025. This process involves confirming the status of divisional valves in the water supply network. This may result in brief intermittent flow disruptions.
This work forms part of the Water and Sanitation Directorate’s proactive infrastructure maintenance and upgrade programme, which ensures the future continuity of water supply by addressing the issue of unaccounted for water.
Zero-pressure tests (ZPT) and conditional assessments will be done on the water supply network resulting in water supply disruptions in the following areas:
From 21:00 on Wednesday, 3 September 2025 overnight until 04:00 on Thursday, 4 September 2025: Masiphumelele, Sun Valley, Sunnydale, Chapman’s Bay Estate, Noordhoek and the area along Noordhoek Main Road.
Zero-pressure testing and step-testing are part of the installation process for zone management infrastructure. Tests are done in advance to see if any unmapped inflows need to be considered before installing new infrastructure (such as pressure reducing valves for pressure management).
In these affected areas, some residents may experience low water pressure while some may have no water during the testing period. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict which exact areas or streets will experience disruptions.
Additional zone management investigations will be carried out to ensure that the existing infrastructure is operating effectively. Pressure fluctuations may be experienced, but every effort will be made to minimise the impact as far as possible.
This work forms part of the City’s Water Demand Management Strategy. Managing water pressure more effectively reduces the possibility of pipe bursts and water wastage.
The City sincerely regrets any inconvenience.
What residents need to know about larger-scale planned water supply disruptions:
1. Careful consideration has been given to the planning of this work to ensure it is being done at a time that is least disruptive to the water supply.
2. All sites where water and sanitation repairs and upgrades are conducted are deemed to be construction sites and, as such, are off-limits to members of the public.
3. Sometimes the maintenance work can be more complex than anticipated, which means the work could take longer.
4. For a short period after the supply has been restored, the water may be discoloured or look milky. This is because of trapped air in the pipes. If left to stand in a glass, the appearance will become clear, like normal.
For updates on the maintenance work (and location of tankers where applicable), follow @CityofCTAlerts which is a City of Cape Town X account.
How residents are advised to prepare for planned water supply disruptions:
1. Store enough water in clean, sealed containers in advance for use during this period.
2. Keep your taps closed to prevent any water loss and/or damage when the water supply is restored.
End
Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town
