---
title: "Gauteng water storage ‘could soon be depleted’ — Rand Water warns the crisis has arrived"
description: "Gauteng’s bulk water supplier has warned that water could soon be depleted if the province’s municipalities do not urgently deal with sky-high consumption and leaks."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "NEWSFLASH"
author: "Ferial Haffajee"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/ferialhaffajee/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-13-gauteng-water-storage-could-soon-be-depleted-rand-water/"
published: "2024-10-13T14:30:46"
updated: "2024-10-14T08:00:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 226
---

# Gauteng water storage ‘could soon be depleted’ — Rand Water warns the crisis has arrived

> Gauteng’s bulk water supplier has warned that water could soon be depleted if the province’s municipalities do not urgently deal with sky-high consumption and leaks.

By Ferial Haffajee · Published 13 October 2024, 16:30 SAST · Updated 14 October 2024, 10:00 SAST

## Key points
- As Johannesburg sizzles under a relentless heatwave, councillors are left clutching their water bottles in despair, fearing that the city's infrastructure is about to go belly up while the taps run dry faster than a politician’s promise.
- Johannesburg councillors express concern over resource depletion amid ongoing heatwave and infrastructure failures.
- Water consumption in Johannesburg exceeds targets, with Tshwane and Ekurhuleni also showing alarming trends.
- Rand Water warns of critically low water supply levels across Gauteng, exacerbated by excessive withdrawals.
- Daily Maverick's investigation reveals a worsening water crisis, with fears of Day Zero looming once again.

## Content

Councillors in the City of Johannesburg said on Sunday that they feared for the week ahead as the metro battled a heatwave coupled with failing infrastructure, leading to depleted resources.

The latest data from 11 October shows that Johannesburg is way above consumption targets, with Tshwane and Ekurhuleni climbing too.

Daily Maverick reported that Johannesburg’s water supply skirted Day Zero for a fourth time last week, and councillors warned on Sunday, October 13, that they feared for the week ahead because of heatwave conditions.

**Read more:**[Water crisis — Johannesburg skirts Day Zero for fourth time in a year](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-10-water-crisis-johannesburg-skirts-day-zero-for-fourth-time-in-a-year/)

**Read more:**[‘It’s going be a tough summer,’ warns expert after more water cuts in Joburg](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-09-19-its-going-be-a-tough-summer-warns-expert-after-more-water-cuts-in-joburg/)

“Water storage levels throughout Gauteng province have significantly declined due to excessive water withdrawals by municipalities, raising serious concerns. Rand Water has repeatedly warned municipalities in Gauteng about this potential crisis. Unfortunately, the crisis we have sought to prevent has now materialised. The water supply systems in Gauteng, including Rand Water reservoirs, are critically low, and the situation is anticipated to worsen with the ongoing heatwave,” Rand Water said.

A data investigation by Daily Maverick has shown how the water crisis has deepened in the past two months and the first nine days of October.**DM**

![Source: Own research of Johannesburg Water reported outages and consumer information/ChatGPT for charting](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/E_fZQQgmXZflxaDKlUzcJs1cggA=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-13-140121.png)

*Source: Own research of Johannesburg Water reported outages and consumer information / ChatGPT for charting.*

![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image1-2.png)