Infrastructure Update: Power and Water Disruptions – 11 June 2025
- Karen Scheepers
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
On Wednesday, 11 June 2025, residents across Potchefstroom experienced simultaneous disruptions to essential municipal services, including electricity and water. Several technical faults were identified throughout the day, affecting both supply lines and infrastructure across multiple regions. The following update provides a factual summary of the incidents, repair efforts, and expected service timelines based on official feedback and on-site observations.
Power Supply Interruption Across Potchefstroom
At approximately 07:00 on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, widespread electricity interruptions were reported in several parts of Potchefstroom. Follow-up inquiries revealed that the outage was caused by a fault on the 132kVA transformer that supplies power to multiple substations in the central area.
Both Eskom and JB Marks technical teams responded to the site. Restoration efforts began in affected zones, and by mid-morning, electricity had returned to some areas. Residents were advised to report continued outages directly for follow-up.
Water Supply Challenges: Dam Line Damage
As of 10:00, reports confirmed damage to the 450mm water pipeline near the dam, affecting reservoir supply operations. The damage occurred during connection work on the adjacent 350mm line. Both lines run in parallel across the dam wall.
On-site teams began:
Pumping water from the excavation zone
Establishing structural supports
Preparing a concrete base to stabilize the pipeline
The repair is extensive and will take several days to complete. Residents are advised to store sufficient water for up to 3 days. Once the pumps are reactivated, additional delays are expected before normal pressure returns due to the gravity-fed distribution system. The municipality is coordinating water truck delivery in the interim.
Ventersdorp Road Pump Station – Electrical Fault
In a public notice issued by JB Marks Municipality on 11 June, it was confirmed that Pump 3 at the Ventersdorp Road Main Water Pump Station experienced an under-voltage electrical fault. This has reduced operations to two pumps, limiting the water supply to the Eesterandjies Reservoirs and surrounding extension areas, including Ikageng.
The same pump had been temporarily repaired on 10 June but failed again during the early hours of 11 June. Technicians are working on a permanent solution to prevent future disruptions.
Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.
Municipal teams, along with Eskom and contracted service providers, continue to address the challenges affecting power and water infrastructure. While partial restorations have been made in some areas, ongoing repair operations are expected to take additional time due to the complexity of the issues involved.
Comments