Rand Water Supply Cut Causes Widespread Disruption in Merafong City

On 28 July 2025, residents across Merafong City woke to a sudden halt in their water supply after Rand Water interrupted deliveries to the municipality’s reservoir network. The stoppage follows an ongoing funding dispute, despite the municipality having forwarded a substantial payment just days earlier. In response, local leaders have deployed emergency measures to provide relief while negotiations continue.

Image:  Merafong City Local Municipality

Oversight Visits to Affected Reservoirs

Executive Mayor Cllr Nozuko Best, together with MMC for Water, Electricity and Gas Cllr Luvo Mganu, Municipal Manager Mr. Mabuza, and Executive Director for Energy Mr. Ngwebu, carried out site inspections at all major storage facilities on Monday. These oversight visits aimed to assess the impact of the interruption and identify any immediate infrastructure concerns that could be exacerbating the shortage.

Areas Hardest Hit

Rand Water’s suspension of supply has left several communities without tap water, notably:

• Carletonville

• Khutsong South Extension 4

• Khutsong Extension 5

• Welverdiend

• Elijah Barayi

• Bylbank

Residents in these areas have been advised to ration remaining water reserves until tanker deliveries arrive.

Background on the Payment Dispute

Despite having transferred R50 million to Rand Water on 24 July, a transaction formally documented and aligned with a National Treasury–backed agreement, the municipality’s water supply was halted. Municipal officials attribute the interruption to a breakdown in communications over invoicing schedules rather than technical failures at the treatment works.

Image:  Merafong City Local Municipality

Emergency Relief Measures

To mitigate immediate hardships, Merafong City has dispatched municipal water tankers to each impacted neighbourhood. According to the municipality, these tankers began rolling out on Tuesday morning and will continue daily deliveries “until normal network operations resume.” Local schools and clinics are being prioritised for additional bulk deliveries.

Stakeholder Engagement and Next Steps

Municipal leadership is in active talks with MEC Jacob Mamabolo (COGTA) and other provincial stakeholders to expedite resolution of the funding impasse. While no firm timeline has been announced, the municipality has pledged to keep the public informed of progress. Technical teams remain on standby to reinstate full pressure to the distribution network as soon as Rand Water restores bulk supply.

Closing Remarks:

At this publishing time, no further updates have been received, and it remains unclear whether the water supply is still off or has been reconnected.

Merafong City residents are advised to utilise tanker-delivered water sparingly and await further updates via official municipal channels. In the meantime, municipal authorities affirm their commitment to resolving the funding dispute swiftly and restoring uninterrupted water service throughout the city.

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