Parts of Cape Town will experience seven-hour water outages this week as the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate conducts planned work, which will result in water supply disruptions.
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This critical work is done on our water supply infrastructure to benefit customers. Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to take note of the work that will take place and prepare accordingly.
Zero-pressure tests (ZPT) and conditional assessments will be done on the water supply network on the following days in these areas:
- Tuesday, 27 February 2024, from 10am until 4pm: Bellville South, Beroma, Glenhaven, Labiance and Kasselsvlei.
- Tuesday, 27 February 2024, from 9am until 4pm: Polkadraai – Blackheath area.
- Tuesday, 27 February 2024, from 9am until 4pm: A portion of Strand bounded by Algoa Street, De Ruyter Street, Beach Road and Main Road.
- Wednesday, 28 February 2024, from 9am until 4pm: Somerset Ridge, Westridge, Audas Estate – Somerset West area.
- Thursday, 29 February 2024, from 9am until 4pm: Cherrywood Gardens, Roundhay, Lionviham, Kalamunda and Audas Estate – (Bizweni) Somerset West area.
Pressure management installations and operations
Zero-pressure testing and step-testing are part of the installation process for pressure management technology. Tests are done in advance to see if any unmapped inflows need to be considered before installing smart pressure-reducing valves.
In these affected areas, some residents may experience low water pressure, and some may have no water coming out of their taps for some time during this overnight testing period. It is not possible to predict which areas or streets will experience disruptions.
Conditional testing, on the other hand, ensures that the pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) in the water supply network are operating effectively and managing the pressures at the determined settings to preserve the lifespan of the pipeline and reduce the occurrence of water wastage resulting from pipe bursts. Pressure fluctuations may be experienced, but they will be minimised as far as possible.
This work forms part of the City’s Water Demand Management Strategy. Managing water pressure more effectively reduces the possibility of pipe bursts and water wastage.
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What residents need to know about larger-scale planned water outages:
- Careful consideration has been given to the planning of this work to ensure it is being done at a time that is least disruptive to the water supply.
- All sites where water and sanitation repairs and upgrades are conducted are deemed to be construction sites and, as such, are off-limits to members of the public.
- Sometimes the maintenance work can be more complex than anticipated, which means the work could take longer.
- For a short period after the supply has been restored, the water may be discoloured or look milky. This is because of trapped air in the pipes. If left to stand in a glass, its appearance will become clear, like normal.
For updates on the maintenance work (and location of tankers where applicable), follow @CityofCTAlerts which is a City of Cape Town X account (formerly Twitter).
How residents are advised to prepare for planned water supply disruptions:
- Store enough water in clean, sealed containers in advance for use during this period.
- Keep your taps closed to prevent any water loss and/or damage when the water supply is restored.
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Picture: Imani / Unsplash