- Rand Water issued a formal warning to three municipalities on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, over water consumption exceeding their licensed allocations
- Johannesburg is using 1,801 million litres a day against a licensed allocation of 1,356 million litres, the largest overrun of the three named municipalities
- The bulk water utility warned it would not hesitate to curtail supply to over-consuming customers to protect the broader supply system
Source: Getty Images
GAUTENG — Rand Water has put Johannesburg, Tshwane and Emfuleni on notice, warning that it may restrict water supply to municipalities drawing beyond their permitted allocations as its network operates at maximum capacity. This is as the residents of Bronkhorstspruit are battling a water crisis after their water was found to be contaminated.
According to Engineering News, the bulk water utility published a formal statement on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, confirming that consumption across several municipal customers had climbed to exceptionally high levels, placing the entire supply system under mounting strain.
Which municipalities are over the limit?
Rand Water's figures show the City of Johannesburg is drawing 1,801 million litres per day against a licensed allocation of 1,356 million litres and a temporary limit of 1,528 million litres. The city needs to cut consumption by 273 million litres immediately and by 445 million litres over time.
The City of Tshwane is using 794 million litres per day, above its licensed allocation of 752 million litres, and must reduce daily use by 42 million litres immediately and by 127 million litres gradually. Emfuleni is similarly over its permanent allocation of 239 million litres per day and its temporary allowance of 269 million litres, requiring an immediate reduction of 46 million litres and a gradual cut of 76 million litres. The City of Ekurhuleni, drawing 1,005 million litres per day, remains within its allocations and was not flagged.
View a tweet from Rand Water explaining water usage per metro on X:
Rand Water's warning to municipalities and residents
Rand Water said it had repeatedly notified municipalities about their elevated consumption levels, but the alerts had not produced sufficient results.
"Despite these efforts, persistent high consumption in certain areas continues to undermine the sustainable balance of supply across the network," the utility said.
It urged immediate compliance, warning that system failure remained a real risk if demand was not reined in.
"Rand Water is duty-bound to protect the bulk supply system and will not hesitate to take appropriate action where necessary," it said.
The utility also called on residents and businesses to treat water conservation as a shared obligation.
"Municipalities, residents and businesses are urged to use water responsibly to help ensure a sustainable and equitable supply for all," Rand Water said.
No specific dates or durations for potential supply curtailments were announced.
Bronkhorstspruit tap water unsafe even after boiling
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the Bronkhorstspruit water crisis, including the restrictions on tap water use and the 36 tankers dispatched by Tshwane.
More than 400 people reported gastrointestinal illness, most of them children under four. An investigation found that unchlorinated water had entered the supply for weeks, and the city’s mayor acknowledged the municipality’s failure to notify residents.
Source: Briefly News