Water 90% restored in JHB, overconsumption a problem

Bongani Bingwa speaks to Kabelo Gwamanda, Mayor of Johannesburg.

Listen to the interview in the audio below.

Parts of Johannesburg went without water for 14 days, with no clear end in sight.

This came at a time when the metro was experiencing a heatwave, making the need for water all the more dire.

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The water shortage has been blamed on numerous issues from lightning strikes, to a closed valve, to overconsumption by residents.

Rand Water warned over the weekend that the system is facing imminent collapse.

Gwamanda says that there have been delays in returning water, but he can confidently say that the systems are 90% restored.

“It is just a few pockets here and there, of which our engineers on the ground are ensuring we restore completely.”

- Kabelo Gwamanda, Mayor of Johannesburg

He says that part of the problem is that water overconsumption has always been a problem in Johannesburg, which exacerbated the problems from a lightning strike hitting Rand Water infrastructure.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.

Water 90% restored in JHB, overconsumption a problem - Mayor

Johannesburg has been facing a critical water crisis with many going without water for days on end.