Residents in parts of Cape Town are advised to prepare for water supply disruptions from Monday, 14 July to Wednesday, 16 July 2025, as the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate rolls out a series of planned infrastructure upgrades and essential maintenance projects.

The work forms part of the City’s ongoing effort to improve and future-proof Cape Town’s water supply network, and will include pipe and valve installations, repairs, replacements, and the cleaning of key reservoirs. Affected residents are encouraged to store sufficient water in advance and to follow safety guidelines during this period.

Areas Affected and Timeline:

Bloekombos and Wallacedene

Water supply in Bloekombos and Wallacedene will be disrupted while infrastructure upgrades take place. The maintenance is essential for improving service reliability and reducing water losses.

Glen Garry Reservoir Shutdown (14 July – 15 August):

The Glen Garry Reservoir will be taken offline from Monday, 14 July until Friday, 15 August 2025 for annual cleaning and maintenance.

While an alternate water supply will be rerouted to the area, residents can expect lower than normal water pressure throughout the shutdown period.

Water will be supplied via the Wemmershoek and Blackheath Water Treatment Plants, feeding into the Tygerberg Reservoir to maintain supply to surrounding communities.

Saxonsea, Avondale, and Robinvale (15 July)

Major rehabilitation and the installation of new water mains will be carried out from 08:00 to 17:00 on Tuesday, 15 July.

As a result, the entire Saxonsea, Avondale, and Robinvale areas will experience a full water outage during this period.

Kirstenbosch and Bishopscourt (15–16 July)

A City-appointed contractor will conduct a test shut-off in Bishopscourt on Tuesday, 15 July from 10:00 to 14:00, followed by a full shut-off on Wednesday, 16 July from 09:00 to 16:00.

This is to facilitate the installation of a new connection to the existing network. Residents in Kirstenbosch Drive, St Albans Close, Riverside Road, and surrounding areas will be affected.

City’s Appeal to Residents

The City urges all affected residents to take the following precautions:

• Store enough water for domestic use in clean, sealed containers ahead of scheduled disruptions.
• Keep taps closed during outages to prevent potential water loss or damage when the supply is restored.
• Be aware that after water is restored, it may appear discoloured or milky due to air in the pipes—this is temporary and will clear once left to stand.

Why Maintenance Matters

According to the Water and Sanitation Directorate, the scheduled work is part of a proactive infrastructure upgrade programme aimed at improving the quality, reliability, and sustainability of Cape Town’s water supply. It also addresses “unaccounted-for water,” a key challenge in water conservation efforts.

“We carefully plan these upgrades to minimise disruptions, and they are vital to ensure the long-term continuity and safety of our water system,” the City said in a statement.

Residents can stay updated on maintenance schedules and the location of water tankers (if deployed) by following the @CityofCTAlerts account on X (formerly Twitter).

The City has apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their cooperation as it works to deliver more resilient and efficient water services across the metro.