The City of Tshwane has activated an emergency response plan ahead of a major planned maintenance shutdown by Rand Water and Eskom, which is expected to significantly affect water supply across parts of the metro from 29 May to 2 June 2026.

The maintenance work on the Palmiet and Zuikerbosch water systems is anticipated to impact supply to 69 reservoirs across Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, placing considerable strain on the municipal water distribution network.

Authorities have warned residents to expect low water pressure and intermittent interruptions throughout the period, with some communities potentially facing prolonged recovery times even after the maintenance concludes.

In response, the City of Tshwane has implemented a coordinated operational intervention, including filling reservoirs to maximum capacity in advance and regulating consumption through throttled outlet valves in selected areas.

An Emergency Shutdown Operations Centre has been established to monitor reservoir levels in real time and coordinate the deployment of water tankers to affected and high-demand areas.

The municipality has also confirmed that procurement is underway for an additional 181 water tankers, supplementing the existing fleet of 36, to strengthen emergency water delivery capacity.

Officials have urged residents to drastically reduce water usage during the shutdown to help stabilise the system and prevent potential collapse in vulnerable zones.

According to the city, the disruption is part of scheduled infrastructure maintenance aimed at improving long-term water security and system resilience.

Authorities have reassured residents that teams will remain on the ground throughout the period to manage supply challenges and maintain service continuity as far as possible, although full system recovery may extend beyond the maintenance window.