Johannesburg Water Completes Maintenance at Crosby Pump Station with Restoration Underway
Johannesburg Water Completes Maintenance at Crosby Pump Station with Restoration Underway. Johannesburg residents can breathe a sigh of relief, as the city’s water utility has completed maintenance work at the Crosby pump station in an effort to improve water supply. Areas including Westbury, Westdene, Coronationville, and Claremont had to contend with dry taps on Wednesday night as repair work was being conducted. Johannesburg Water has outlined that high-lying areas will be the last to experience water restoration on Thursday. “Johannesburg Water continues to implement tactical interventions to restore and balance the system for equitable distribution within the commando system,” said spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala.
Scope of the Maintenance and Affected Areas
The planned maintenance at the Crosby pump station began on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, and was completed overnight, allowing teams to start the recovery process early Thursday morning. This work was part of ongoing efforts to address infrastructure challenges in the Commando System, which supplies water to several western Johannesburg suburbs. The outage led to low pressure or no water in areas like Westbury, Westdene, Coronationville, Claremont, Brixton, Hursthill, and surrounds, affecting thousands of households and businesses.
Johannesburg Water explained that the repairs were necessary to fix operational issues, including pump efficiency and pipeline integrity, which have caused intermittent supply problems in recent months. The station, a key component of the city’s water network, has undergone similar interventions before, such as a major upgrade in March 2025 as part of a R729 million renovation plan. That project included reconstructing the bulk infrastructure, adding a new pump station, rising main, and Rand Water supply line to boost capacity and reliability.
Residents in low-lying areas began seeing water return by mid-morning Thursday, but high-lying zones like parts of Westdene and Hursthill were expected to wait longer due to the time needed for reservoirs to refill and pressure to build. Johannesburg Water teams remained onsite to monitor the system, implementing configurations to speed up recovery and ensure even distribution.
Reasons for the Outage and Tactical Interventions
The maintenance was scheduled to tackle recurring faults at Crosby, where only one of two pumps was operational as recently as 23 August 2025, leading to reduced supply. This latest work aimed to restore full functionality, preventing future disruptions. Shabalala noted that wet weather conditions would not impact the process, as the repairs were internal and protected.
To manage the outage, Johannesburg Water rolled out tactical interventions, such as rerouting water from nearby systems and deploying tankers to priority spots like clinics and schools. These steps helped mitigate the impact on vulnerable residents, including the elderly and those with medical needs. The utility also encouraged water conservation during recovery, advising against non-essential uses like garden watering to speed up stabilisation.
This incident follows broader water challenges in Johannesburg, including Rand Water’s major maintenances in July 2025, which affected millions for up to 14 days. Such events highlight ageing infrastructure and the need for ongoing investments to meet growing demand.
Community Impact and Resident Reactions
The dry taps caused frustration for many, with residents in Westbury and Coronationville reporting difficulties in daily tasks like cooking and hygiene. Social media buzzed with complaints, but also praise for Johannesburg Water’s communication via X updates. One post from the utility on Thursday morning read: “Daily water supply system status updates: Thursday, 28 August 2025 (Morning)… Update from Crosby Pump Station Teams are onsite at Crosby Pump Station, maintenance completed, system recovering.”
Community leaders in affected areas organised water distribution points, easing the burden. Residents like those in Brixton, who faced similar issues during December 2024’s 86-hour outage, expressed relief at the quick completion. However, some called for long-term fixes, noting frequent disruptions erode trust in the utility.
Johannesburg Water apologised for the inconvenience, stressing that these upgrades will lead to more reliable supply. They committed to full restoration by Thursday evening, with monitoring continuing into Friday if needed.
🔴Central News Weekly Edition | Issue 115 🔴Download the Latest Print and E-Edition | Headline: Ngwathe Municipality Refuses to Back Down, Heads to Supreme Court of Appeal
Download Here:
Direct PDF File Here:
https://centralnews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Central-News-Issue-114-1.pdf
Read all our publications on magzter:
https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues
Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content, Podcasts , Radio / Social Media Simulcast, Video Production , Live Streaming Services, Press Conferences, and Paid Interviews (Video/Audio) etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za