Planned water supply maintenance for 8 to 11 December 2025
05 December 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 a water disruption, but it aims to ensure they are able to prepare in the event it does occur.
Planned maintenance work will result in water supply disruption to these areas:
Steenbras Water treatment Plant
The Steenbras Water Treatment Plant will be shut down temporarily from 08:00 on Monday, 8 December 2025 until 16:00 on Thursday, 11 December 2025. Although the respective supply reservoirs will be filled in advance, residents are requested to reduce their consumption throughout Cape Town to ensure sustainable supply during this period.
Vredekloof East – Brackenfell
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Welgeleë Road, Welkom Road, George Road and surrounds in Vredekloof East on Tuesday, 9 December 2025 from 09:00 until 18:00. This will enable the maintenance team to safely upgrade a section of the water supply main to the area. Residents will experience no water during this period. A water tanker will be made available to provide water where required.
Part of Cape Town CBD – Tulbagh Square
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Tulbagh Square in the Cape Town CBD and possibly immediate surrounds on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, from 09:00 until 18:00. This will enable the maintenance team to safely do a new connection to the water supply main in Hans Strijdom Avenue, Cape Town. The area will experience no water during this period.
Part of Vredehoek
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Upper Maynard Street from Virginia Avenue to Vredehoek Avenue and possibly surrounds in Vredehoek from 10:00 until 12:00 on Tuesday, 9 December 2025. This test shut-off aims to determine the impact for the actual shut-off from 09:00 until 18:00 on Thursday, 11 December 2025, when a new connection will be done on the water supply main in Virginia Avenue. The area will experience no water during both these periods.
Part of Camps Bay
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Willesden Street between Finchley Street and Kinnoull Street, Dunkeld Street between Finchley Street and Willesden Street and possibly surrounds in Camps Bay from 10:00 until 13:00 on Tuesday, 9 December 2025. This test shut-off aims to determine the impact for the actual shut-off from 09:00 until 18:00 on Thursday, 11 December 2025, when a new connection will be done on the water supply main in Dunkeld Street. The area will experience no water during both these periods.
Part of Claremont
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply in Claremont Main Road from Brooke Street to Hawthorne Road and possibly immediate surrounds from 19:00 on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, until 05:00 on Thursday, 11 December 2025. This will enable the maintenance team to safely do a new connection to the water supply main in Main Road, Claremont. The area will experience no water during this period.
Melkbosstrand
The City's Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Melkbosstrand from 18:00 on Wednesday, 10 December 2025 until 04:00 on Thursday, 11 December 2025. This will enable the maintenance team to safely replace the leaking 350 mm diameter T-Piece on the water main in 25th Avenue, Melkbosstrand. The area will experience no water during this period. Residents are kindly requested to store enough water in advance for domestic use during this period. Water tankers will be made available to provide water for domestic use where required.
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:
- Wednesday, 10 December 2025, from 09:00 until 16:00: Panorama
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Sometimes the maintenance work can be more complex than anticipated, which means the work could take longer.
- 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:
- Store enough water in clean, sealed containers in advance for use during this period.
- Keep your taps closed to prevent any water loss and/or damage when the water supply is restored.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
