Johannesburg Water has launched an urgent water quality investigation and deployed tankers to parts of the city centre after residents reported an unusual odour emanating from tap water. The utility has advised residents in the affected zones to avoid consuming tap water until further notice.
The precautionary measures began on Tuesday, focusing on Albertina Sisulu Road and surrounding streets, specifically 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Avenues, as well as 10th Street. While the exact cause of the odour is under investigation, the utility has moved to provide alternative water via tankers as a stopgap measure.
The incident has drawn attention to broader concerns about South Africa’s water security. Jonathan Erasmus, Communications Manager at the civic organisation WaterCAN, said the event underscores a national water crisis.
Erasmus referenced WaterCAN’s own recent water testing campaign, the findings of which were released in early December. “What we found in that report was, generally speaking, we’ve got a water crisis in our rivers, dams and several taps,” he stated. “We found this bacterial load very high across these spectrums. This really impacts health and this impacts confidence in the water system.”
He noted that the latest contamination scare “goes to the point that we do have a crisis in the provision of potable water.”
While criticising the systemic issues, Erasmus acknowledged Johannesburg Water’s responsive actions in this specific instance. “What is positive about this is that Johannesburg Water did launch precautionary water tests. They’ve done what we would have asked… They’ve also tried to isolate where the fault is and they’ve issued a notice.”
He urged affected residents to take immediate precautions, advocating for boil notices as a standard municipal response. “Boil the water. That’s the quickest, easiest way to get rid of any kind of bacteria that may be sitting in there.”
Erasmus also advised the public to trust their senses when assessing water safety. “The senses are probably our greatest weapon that we have. If it smells funny, if it looks funny, it probably is funny. Rely on your own common sense before drinking any water.”
He concluded by reiterating the national scale of the challenge, stating the event “highlights the crisis that we are facing, not just in Johannesburg, by the way, countrywide with the provision of clean potable water.”
Residents in the affected areas are advised to use provided tanker water or boil all tap water vigorously until an official all-clear is given by Johannesburg Water. The utility has not yet indicated when test results will be available or when the water supply will be declared safe.