Most parts of Tshwane was still without water on Wednesday afternoon, the city said.”Due to vandalism and cable theft at the Palmiet pump station, Rand Water is unable to supply water to most of the suburbs in Tshwane

The city warned residents to minimise the use of water on non-essential activities like watering gardens, irrigation and filling up swimming pool. 

 

“Residents are further urged to use tap water sparingly to allow the reservoirs to fill up,” it said.

The city apologised for the inconvenience.

 

Earlier, authorities said It was unclear when water would be fully restored to parts of Johannesburg and Tshwane that were affected by the water shortages this week.

 

“I can’t give you a specific day or time,” Rand Water spokesman Justice Mohale said.

 

He said the Eikenhof and Palmiet pumping stations had problems but there was improvement in water levels and supply. He did not specify what the problems were.

 

“Our Meredale reservoir [which supplied mostly to Johannesburg and the West Rand] is standing at 45 percent from yesterday’s 22 percent,” he explained.

“The Waterval reservoir [which mainly supplies Ekurhuleni] is standing at 30 percent from yesterday’s 20 percent.

 

It has peaked tremendously.”He said with time water levels would increase.

“There is improvement as time progresses. Areas that did not have water will start receiving water as time progresses.” Mohale explained that there were problems in supplying water to high-lying areas.

 

“There are high-lying areas which is not easy for water to be pumped there.

 

As water levels increase, there will be enough pressure to pump water to those high lying areas.” “As time progresses, we believe water levels will increase.” Johannesburg Water spokeswoman Millicent Kabwe was also unable to say when water would be fully restored,

 

“I can’t say at this stage when that will happen.” She declined to give an update on the water situation in Johannesburg, referring only to a press statement issued on Tuesday.

 

“Yesterday’s statement is the only update we have.” In Tuesday’s statement, Kabwe said water supply was back to normal in most parts of Johannesburg.

She said most reservoirs and water towers were recovering their water levels.

 

“Only two percent of the residents of the city are still experiencing low water pressures and no water situation,” she said at the time.

 

However, The Star reported on Wednesday that there was a growing list of suburbs still without water, some in their second week.

 

Ekurhuleni municipality spokesman Themba Gadebe and his colleague Lindela Mashigo said they did not know when the water would be restored,

“It is dependent on Rand Water,” said Mashigo.

Department of Water Affairs spokesman Sputnik Ratau could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

 

-Sapa