Johannesburg Water announces an 18-hour water outage in this suburb on Tuesday

Johannesburg Water has announced a planned water supply interruption that will leave parts of Bedford Park without water for 18 hours next week.

The utility will shut off supply from 6:00 on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, until 00:00 on Wednesday, 18 November 2026. The outage will affect all streets in the parts of the suburb that receive water from the Linksfield Reservoir.

Johannesburg Water listed the maintenance under Region E in its daily water supply system status update, issued on the afternoon of 13 November.

Why Johannesburg Water is cutting supply

According to Johannesburg Water, the interruption will allow its teams to install a bulk meter. Customers will have no water while the work is under way.

Bulk meters measure the volume of water flowing into a supply zone, helping utilities track consumption and detect losses in the network.

Johannesburg Water said the project will benefit customers through improved service delivery and continuity of water supply.

Alternative supply still to be confirmed

Johannesburg Water has not yet confirmed whether it will provide alternative water supply, such as water tankers, during the shutdown. The utility said it will provide further details later.

Residents can prepare ahead of Tuesday by:

• Filling clean containers with drinking and cooking water on Monday evening
• Storing extra water in buckets for flushing toilets
• Keeping taps closed during the outage to prevent flooding when supply returns
• Checking on elderly neighbours who may struggle to collect water

Households with water tanks should fill them before 6:00 on Tuesday. Businesses in the area, including restaurants and salons, should also plan for disruptions.

Water may take some time to return to full pressure after the work ends, especially in higher-lying areas. Residents may notice discoloured water or air in the pipes once supply returns. Running taps briefly should clear it.

How to contact Johannesburg Water

Residents can log calls or report problems through the following channels:

• Call: 010 061 4470 or 086 056 2874
• X: @JHBWater
• Facebook: Johannesburg Water

Customers should keep their account number or street address handy when logging a call.

Johannesburg Water also publishes daily system status updates, which residents can follow for any changes to the maintenance schedule.

Residents who still have no water by Wednesday morning should report it through one of these channels.