Pretoria: The City of Tshwane, in partnership with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Magalies Water (MW), has moved to address the water challenges in the affected communities in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria. This follows growing concerns from the Hammanskraal community over continued inconsistencies in water supply, particularly in the Phase Two target areas.
According to South African Government News Agency, the affected communities include Majaneng (east of Makapanstad Road), Kudube Units 1, 2, 3, 6, 10 and Unit D, as well as the Jubilee Tower, Jubilee Direct, and Dominican Tower zones. The department officially handed over Module 2 of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works to the City of Tshwane on 29 June 2025. The new module is designed to supply 12.5 megalitres of water per day, but due to unanticipated delays in completing the permanent pipeline to take water from Babelegi to Temba, an alternative, older pipeline was used to deliver water in the interim. However, the pipeline has experienced setbacks due to frequent leaks and delivery of lesser volumes than anticipated.
The project partners – Magalies Water Board, the City of Tshwane, and the Department of Water and Sanitation – have resolved to expedite the completion of the main planned pipeline. In the meantime, the old temporary pipeline is still being used to provide what is likely to be an intermittent water supply for flushing purposes. To cover the shortfall, the City of Tshwane has made available additional water tankers. A detailed schedule outlining tanker availability per area will be shared with the community to ensure continued access to water while the permanent pipeline is being completed.
To address these challenges and improve the water supply to the affected areas, with the aim of restoring water supply by the second week of August 2025, the following actions are being undertaken: The permanent supply line from Babelegi to Temba Reservoir 3 is on track for completion, and once completed, it will allow for a more stable and higher volume of water to be delivered. Water supply to the community through this route will be fully utilized after final testing confirms the water is safe to use and the pipeline is fit for transporting water.
Furthermore, improvements are being made to the temporary Bosplaas Line, which is currently delivering an average of 6.3 million litres per day. The technical team is working on adjusting the system to deliver improved volumes while working on completing the pipeline. These adjustments will help the system work more efficiently and effectively. The process of cleaning and testing the water system is now over 90% complete and should be completed as soon as there is sufficient water to conclude the flushing, a week would be sufficient.
While some residents have called for the reactivation of water supply from the Temba Water Treatment Works, the department warned this would reverse the progress made to date and delay the completion of the flushing process to around mid-September 2025. The water currently being produced by the two modules meets the minimum safety standards (SANS 241:2015) and is being used to clean the system. However, residents in Module 2 are advised not to drink the water from their taps until official communication confirms the safe consumption and use of the water.
The department recognizes the seriousness of the situation and assures the Hammanskraal community that all reasonable efforts are being made to restore a consistent and safe water supply. They sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and hardship caused by these challenges.
