The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will conduct planned work in the identified areas, which may disrupt water supply. This critical maintenance work is being 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 that all residents will experience a water disruption, but it aims to ensure they can prepare if one does occur.

Planned maintenance work will result in a water supply disruption to these areas:

Parts of Parow Industria and Ravensmead

The City will temporarily shut off the water supply to Assegai Road, Parow Industria Road and possibly surrounding roads, Parow Industria, on Saturday, 14 November 2026, from 09:00 until 18:00. This will allow the maintenance team to carry out a new connection to the water supply main in the area. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Ravensmead will also experience lower than usual water pressure during this period. Consumers are encouraged to store water in advance in clean, sealed containers for domestic use.

Welgedacht, Selborne Slot, Oude Westhof, Van Riebeeckshof, Kanonberg, and Kanonberg Lifestyle Estate

The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will temporarily shut off the water supply to Welgedacht, Selborne Slot, Oude Westhof, Van Riebeeckshof, Kanonberg, and Kanonberg Lifestyle Estate from 20:00 on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, until 05:00 on Wednesday, 18 November 2026. This will allow the maintenance team to safely install a control valve on the water supply network to these areas. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Consumers are encouraged to store water in advance in clean, sealed containers for domestic use.

Parts of Lotus River

The City will temporarily shut off the water supply to Lake Road, Third Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and possibly surrounding roads in Lotus River, on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, from 09:00 until 18:00. This will allow the maintenance team to carry out a bulk water connection to the water supply infrastructure in Lake Road, Lotus River. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Consumers are encouraged to store water in advance in clean, sealed containers for domestic use.

Parts of Grassy Park

The City will temporarily shut off the water supply to Eighth Avenue (from Yorkton Road to Italian Road), Yorkton Road, Anne Road, Iris Road (from Italian Road to Iris Close) and possibly surrounding roads in Grassy Park, on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, from 09:00 until 18:00. This will allow the maintenance team to connect the newly installed pipeline to the existing water supply infrastructure in the area. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Consumers are encouraged to store water in advance in clean, sealed containers for domestic use.

Kuils River Industria, Brantwood, De Kuilen and Letru

The City will temporarily shut off the water supply to Kuils River Industria, Brantwood, De Kuilen and Letru on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, from 09:00 until 16:00. This test shut-off will allow the maintenance team to assess the impact ahead of the actual shut-off, at a date to be determined, when two water meters will be installed on the water supply network in these areas. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Consumers are encouraged to store water in advance in clean, sealed containers for domestic use.

Faure Water Treatment Plant (WTP) shutdown

The Water and Sanitation Directorate will carry out essential maintenance at the Faure Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which will require the plant to be temporarily shut down from 07:00 on Wednesday, 18 November 2026 until 18:00 on Thursday, 19 November 2026 to allow the work to be completed safely. The maintenance work includes servicing filter valves, replacing valves and pumps on the wash-water recovery tanks, maintaining the chlorine pumps, and inspecting the inlet chambers to the turbines. 

During the shutdown, water supply from the Steenbras and Blackheath bulk water pipelines will be rerouted to areas normally supplied by the Faure WTP. The reservoirs supplying these areas will be filled in advance to help maintain water supply during the shutdown. However, the shutdown will place additional strain on the City’s bulk water storage, and residents and businesses city-wide are therefore urged to reduce their water consumption during this period. 

The Stellenbosch Municipality’s Raithby connection will be supplied from the domestic reservoir during the shutdown. Due to the reservoir’s limited storage capacity, Stellenbosch Municipality has been requested to reduce its water consumption and/or make use of alternative water sources where possible.

Woodstock, Salt River and Observatory

The City will temporarily shut off the water supply to Woodstock, Salt River and Observatory, on Thursday, 19 November 2026, from 09:00 until 19:00. This will allow the maintenance team to urgently carry out repairs to the leaking 750mm-diameter bulk water supply main in Sir Lowry Road and replace defective control valves on the water supply network in the area. The affected areas will experience no water during this period. Water tankers will be made available to provide water for domestic use where required.

Leak detection in Blackheath Industrial, Claremont and Fish Hoek

The City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will be conducting visual leak detection in Blackheath Industrial, Claremont and Fish Hoek from Monday, 16 November 2026, until Friday, 20 November 2026, from 09:30 until 15:00. Leak detection is one of the water demand management interventions for saving water and reducing water loss through leaks.
 
A leak detection team will be walking in the streets to identify potential leaks and check all pipe contact points such as valves, water meters and fire hydrants.

• All leaks will be reported to the relevant depot for repairs.
• Residents are advised that there will be no disruption to water during this exercise.

Residents are advised to store water in advance as a precautionary measure in clean, sealed containers for domestic use during this period.
 
Zero-pressure tests (ZPT) and conditional assessments will be done on the water supply network, resulting in water supply disruptions in the following areas:

• Monday, 16 November 2026, 09:00 – 16:00: Welcome Glen and Da Gama Park
• Tuesday, 17 November 2026, 09:00 to 16:00: Diep River
• Wednesday, 18 November 2026, 09:00 to 16:00: Kommetjie
• Thursday, 19 November 2026, 09:00 to 16:00: Retreat, Cafda Village, Steenberg, Coniston Park, Sheraton Park

Residents are advised to store water in advance as a precautionary measure in clean, sealed containers for domestic use during this period.

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.

Residents are advised to store water in advance as a precautionary measure in clean, sealed containers for domestic use during this period.

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.