Residents in parts of Cape Town should prepare for a temporary water shutdown as the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate undertakes planned maintenance next week. The city says the work forms part of ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade critical water infrastructure to ensure long-term reliability for consumers.
According to the City, the maintenance includes “pipe and valve installations, repairs and replacements” that may interrupt supply in specific areas. While not all residents will experience an outage, the city urges households and businesses to take precautionary measures in advance.
The city emphasised that this work aims “to benefit customers” and forms part of routine infrastructure care.
Newlands Spring facility to close temporarily
One of the affected facilities is the Newlands Spring. The city confirmed it will “temporarily close the Newlands Spring Facility on Monday, 19 January” to allow maintenance teams to conduct repairs and routine work on onsite infrastructure.
During the closure, residents who regularly collect water from the spring must adjust their plans. The city advised consumers to “plan their water collections accordingly” while the work is underway. No alternative access to the spring will be available during the maintenance period.
The Directorate said it schedules such work to minimise disruption, but reminded residents that maintenance sites are treated as construction zones and remain off-limits to the public for safety reasons.
Claremont Streets to Experience Full-Day Water Shutdown
In Claremont, parts of Fir Street, Newry Street, Palmyra Junction Mall and nearby areas will experience a complete water shutdown from 9:00 to 18:00 on Tuesday, 20 January. The city will shut off the supply to allow teams to safely reposition a fire hydrant on the water main in Fir Street.
The city confirmed that “the area will experience no water during this period.” Residents and businesses in the affected streets should store sufficient water in advance, using “clean, sealed containers” as recommended by the City.
The city also warned that, once supply returns, water may appear discoloured or milky for a short time due to trapped air in pipes. This should clear if left to stand. For updates, residents can follow @CityofCTAlerts on X.
