The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate will be doing planned work in the identified areas, which will result in water supply disruptions. 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 can prepare if it does occur.
Planned maintenance work will result in a water supply disruption to these areas:
Witsand, Atlantis
The water supply to Witsand, Atlantis (eastern side of the industrial area) will be shut off temporarily on Monday, 13 April 2026, from 07:00 to 18:00 to allow maintenance teams to conduct planned maintenance on the Witzand Pump Station and related reticulation infrastructure. Affected residents are kindly advised to store water in clean, sealed containers ahead of the disruption to ensure adequate supply. Water tankers will be roaming in the area.
Wemmershoek Water Treatment Plant shutdown
The Wemmershoek Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will shut down to accommodate maintenance work at the water purification plant. The two-day shutdown is scheduled for Tuesday,14 April 2026, at 00:01, to Wednesday, 15 April 2026, at 23:59. The areas that will be affected are parts of the Drakenstein and Stellenbosch Municipality, as well as private consumers along the Wemmershoek pipeline.
The City has taken all necessary measures to minimise the impact of this shutdown. Please make the necessary arrangements to prepare for the shutdown. Ensure that your reservoirs are filled to maintain your consumers’ supply.
Part of Paarden Eiland
Maintenance teams will be doing a temporary shut-off of the water main on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, from 09:00 to 17:00 to install a new connection to 6 Neptune Road, Paarden Eiland (Robertson and Caine). The affected area in Paarden Eiland includes: Neptune Road from Marine Drive to Carlisle Road, including Shropshire Road, Auckland Road and Carlisle Roads. Residents and businesses are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
Parts of Oranjezicht
The City of Cape Town is currently undertaking a water pipeline replacement project in Upper Orange Street, Belmont Avenue, Montrose Avenue, Jagersfontein Avenue at Oranjezicht. As part of this project, there is a planned water shutoff for Tuesday, 14 April 2026, from 08:00 to 20:00, to facilitate connecting temporary water main into the existing water mains and the tie-in of the new water main into the existing water main. The affected streets in Oranjezicht are: Upper Orange Street, Alexandre Avenue, Belvedere Avenue, Belmont Avenue, Montrose Avenue, Rose Mount Avenue, Sirgeorge grey Street, Wynyard Street, Sophia Street, Breda Street, Forest Road and Mill Street. Residents are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
Melkbosstrand and surrounding areas
Maintenance teams will be doing a temporary shut-off of the water main on Wednesday, 15 April 2026, from 09:00 to 22:00. City maintenance teams alongside a City appointed contractor will replace a steel tee-piece on the water supply network on the R27 West Coast Road between Atlantic Beach Golf Estate and Melkbosstrand Road. Areas which may be affected include: Melkbosstrand, Melkbosch Village, Van Riebeeckstrand, Duynefontein and the Eskom Koeberg Power Station. Residents in this area will experience no water during this period and are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
Ottery
The City’s Water and Sanitation Department will be installing a pressure controlling device on the main water supply to the Humby area in Ottery. This will result in the temporary disruption of water supply on Wednesday,15 April 2026, between 09:00 until 16:00. Residents are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
Coller Road, Retreat
The City of Cape Town has appointed a Contractor to carry out rehabilitation work on the water mains at the intersection of Coller Road and Petal Road in Retreat. In order to do so, the City will be shutting off water supply on Thursday, 16 April 2026, from 09:00 to 19:30 to allow for the commissioning of new pipes to the water reticulation system. The following roads in Retreat will be affected: Allenby Drive, Petal Road, Coller Road and surrounding areas, Retreat. Residents are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
Steenberg
The water supply to the area bounded by Handel Street, Allenby Drive, Symphony Avenue and possible surrounds in Steenberg will be shut off on Thursday, 16 April 2026, from 09:00 to 19:30. This will enable the installation of a tie-In connection at the intersection of Franz Square and Symphony Avenue to facilitate the commissioning of the newly installed pipes within Franz square. Residents are advised to store water in clean, sealed containers for use during this period and to ensure that their taps are closed to avoid water loss and/or damage when the supply is restored.
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:
- Monday, 13 April 2026, from 09:00 until 17:00: Ocean View and Retreat.
- Tuesday, 14 April 2026, from 09:00 until 17:00: Bo-Kaap (Schotsche Kloof), Gardens, University Estate, Walmer Estate and Zonnebloem (District Six).
- Wednesday, 15 April 2026, from 09:00 until 17:00: Gardens, Oranjezicht and Tamboerskloof.
- Wednesday,15 April 2026, from 10:00 until 16:00: Welgedacht.
- Thursday, 16 April 2026, from 09:00 until 17:00: Devil’s Peak Estate, Oranjezicht and Vredehoek.
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.
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.
