Pretoria – Potable water supply problems have escalated in Gauteng, resulting in Water Services Authorities being ordered to implement Level 2 restrictions with immediate effect.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has directed Gauteng Water Services Authorities to urgently assess the current water supply and demand patterns and implement the Level 2 restrictions with immediate effect.
Offenders risked fines of over R5000 and possible prosecution.
The City of Tshwane on Sunday, 15 November 2026, said: “City Manager, Johann Mettler, has resolved to implement the water tariff adjustments Level 2 restrictions”.
The City said the water tariff adjustments would be effective from Monday, 16 November 2026, in line with Section 18 of the Council-approved Tariff Policy, which came into effect on 1 July 2026.
The South African Human Rights Commission’s recent “Inquiry Report into the State of Water and Sanitation Service Delivery in Gauteng” found that demand was much greater than supply.
The City of Tshwane said Level 2 Restrictions were being implemented with a view to preventing and mitigating the potential collapse of the Rand Water system.
The City of Tshwane, together with other metros in Gauteng, receives water supply from Rand Water, which it abstracts from the Integrated Vaal River System.
The El Niño (an extreme weather condition, with an abnormal heat wave) weather phenomenon has resulted in a high rate of water consumption and has led to Rand Water’s strategic bulk storage capacity significantly dwindling.
Since September 2026, Tshwane has registered a week-on-week high water consumption from its Rand Water supply meters and has exceeded its permanent license target by 34% and its temporary license target by 19%.
“Tshwane has been requested to implement measures to reduce consumption by 200Ml (megalitres) per day, which is the equivalent of 200 million litres per day,” the City of Tshwane revealed.
The high water consumption has placed a severe strain on Rand Water’s storage levels and negatively impacted the ability to supply other areas.
Tshwane has been experiencing water supply challenges recently due to limited inflow and high consumption by its residents.
“According to the National Department of Water and Sanitation, the current water supply disruptions in Gauteng have been caused by the demand for treated water exceeding the available supply, and not by the lack of water in the source’s dams,” explained the City of Tshwane.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department, in conjunction with the Integrated Bylaw Enforcement Committee, will begin scouting and conducting random inspections at high-consumption areas across all the regions to monitor contraventions of the Level 2 water restrictions and issue appropriate fines, ranging from R5000.
Offenders will also be liable for prosecution.
Water restrictions are one of the interventions used to achieve the reduction of high water usage.
All customers are urged to implement the following water-saving measures under Level 2 restrictions:
• Avoid watering gardens and lawns using municipal drinking water.
• Do not wash vehicles using hosepipes. Use a bucket instead.
• Avoid filling swimming pools with municipal drinking water.
• Repair leaking taps, toilets, pipes and plumbing installations immediately.
• Avoid leaving taps running unnecessarily when brushing teeth, washing dishes or undertaking other household activities.
• Reduce showering time and avoid unnecessary water usage. • Reuse greywater, where appropriate, for gardening and other non-drinking purposes.
• Report visible water leaks and bursts to the city through its official reporting channels.
• Businesses and institutions must implement internal water conservation measures to reduce their daily consumption.
The following are the acceptable monthly consumption measures:
• Standard monthly household consumption > 20kl/month.
• Standard monthly consumption for indigent households > 17kl/month. The Level 2 restrictions, which carry a punitive tariff adjustment, are as follows:
• A household using 12kl/month, could expect to pay R129,60 compared to R108.03 for the additional 3kl (Table 1)
• A household using 30kl/month, could expect to pay R388,80 compared to R324,09 for the additional 9kl; and R871, 92 compared to R584,76 for the additional 12kl (Table 2)
• A household using 60kl/month, could expect to pay R388,80 compared to R324,09 for the additional 9kl; and R871, 92 compared to R584,76 for the additional 12kl; and 1 076,64 compared to 673,56 for the further additional 12kl; and R1 944,18 compared to 1080,36 for the additional 18kl
The level 2 restrictions will be valid for a period of 30 days and will be implemented within 7 days of the issuing of a public notice, which will be published on the city’s website and in the media.
The City of Tshwane said it will continue to monitor the consumption levels, and if an extension is required, it must be approved within 7 days before the lapse of the current notice.
Residents who contravene the above restrictions will be prosecuted in line with the Municipal Bylaws.
