A lightning strike once again disrupted Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station in Johannesburg, causing water outages for the second time in two weeks. The latest outage occurred after a suspected lightning strike at the Orlando substation in Soweto, after which Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda ensured that City Power and Johannesburg Water technical teams worked with Rand Water to investigate the source of the problem and its impact.
On Tuesday morning, teams successfully restored power to the pump station. Despite restoration, several water supply systems were impacted and are under close surveillance. Mayor Gwamanda cautioned that a comprehensive evaluation would only be possible after the morning peak demand, as the full impact could be delayed. Consequently, residents have been urged to use water sparingly.
Several systems are currently affected including Waterval Tower, Linden 1 Tower, Orlando East Reservoir, Honeydew Reservoir, Brixton Reservoir, and both Hursthill Reservoirs. The previously widespread outage, lasting two weeks, was instigated by three power failures at Eikenhof, where a lightning strike affected a City Power substation that supplies the pump station.
The disruption not only affected Johannesburg but also Rand West, Mogale City, Rustenburg, Merafong, and certain mines due to the halt in pumping of water. To address its deteriorating water infrastructure, the City of Johannesburg proposed an infrastructure development plan, set to be discussed in council in May. The proposed plan aims to implement regulations to ensure infrastructure is maintained and replaced moving forward.
Presently, the City has a R1 billion budget for water renewal and replacement. However, an estimated R3 billion per year is needed to maintain existing infrastructure. This deficit is the basis of the R27 billion water infrastructure backlog the city is currently grappling with. This recurring issue has led authorities to seek feedback and reports from residents experiencing water outages.
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12 Comments
Can we blame the lightning or is there a deeper issue at play?
Lightning strikes happen, its nature. Blaming it wont change a thing. Maybe instead of looking for deeper issues, just accept it as an act of God. Lifes unpredictable, no need to overanalyze. Just stay safe and move on.
Do you think its just bad luck or something fishy going on?
Could this be a case of bad luck or a sign from above?
Its all about perspective. Some may see it as bad luck, others as a sign from above. Who knows? Maybe its just life doing its thing. Keep your head up and roll with the punches.
Is it just bad luck or something fishy going on at Eikenhof pump station? 🤔
What are the odds of lightning hitting the same pump station twice?! ⚡🤔
Can we blame Mother Nature or is there a deeper issue at play?
Do you think its just bad luck or is there something more going on?
Is the Eikenhof pump station cursed or just really unlucky? Lightning strikes twice!
Can we blame Mother Nature or is there a bigger issue at play?
Mother Nature is innocent; we are the culprits. Our actions have led to climate change and environmental destruction. Its time to take responsibility and make changes. Blaming nature only deflects accountability from where it truly lies – with us. Lets act before its too late.