Water shortages are affecting dozens of suburbs across Nelson Mandela Bay as daily consumption reaches 390-400 million litres—nearly 50% above the system’s 280-million-litre capacity.
According to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), the crisis has been worsened by infrastructure failures, power outages and ongoing maintenance at key treatment facilities.
In a statement, the Municipality has revealed that the unprecedented demand, combined with recent upgrades at the Nooitgedagt Water Treatment Works, has left numerous areas experiencing intermittent or no water supply.
“When water is consumed almost as fast as it is supplied, reservoirs cannot build reserves, making the system vulnerable to even minor disruptions,” the municipality explained, likening the situation to “filling a bathtub while the drain is open.”
During essential improvement works at Nooitgedagt, which included installing a new industrial compressor, the facility operated at reduced capacity, producing between 160-180 million litres daily instead of its usual output—creating a deficit of approximately 20 million litres per day.
The water crisis has reportedly been further complicated by a series of power outages affecting key infrastructure.
The Loerie Water Treatment Works experienced electricity cuts on 16, 27, and 30 November, whilst the Motherwell Pump Station was disrupted on 25 November. Even brief power dips can cause pumps at Nooitgedagt to trip, requiring specialist teams to restart operations.
Vandalism has added another layer of complexity to the water woes. A major leak caused by deliberate damage to the Motherwell-Chelsea pipeline necessitated replacing a 700mm valve, which halted water transfers from Nooitgedagt for 24 hours. Additionally, the 400mm pipeline serving Fairbridge Heights and Vanes Estate has suffered recurring bursts.
The situation is set to worsen temporarily as Eskom has scheduled critical maintenance affecting the Nooitgedagt Water Treatment Works on Tuesday, 2 December. The facility will be offline from 06:00 until approximately 18:00, with the municipality noting that “unfortunately, Eskom is unable to postpone this maintenance.”
The extensive list of affected areas spans much of the metro’s western and central suburbs. The Chelsea Reservoir zone, which supplies areas including Baywest, Sherwood, Lorraine, and Sunridge Park, has been particularly hard hit.
Meanwhile, the Emeraldhill Reservoir zone, serving suburbs such as Walmer Heights, Newton Park, and Greenacres, is also experiencing significant disruptions.
Areas supplied by the Lovemore Heights Reservoir, including Broadwood, Miramar, and Sardinia Bay, continue to face intermittent supply issues. Additional affected zones include Kwanobuhle, where the top portions are experiencing water shortages, and areas served by Rosedale supply infrastructure.
In response to the crisis, NMBM is implementing enhanced monitoring through regular SCADA system meetings and improving incident reporting procedures.
The municipality has also announced plans to intensify efforts against water losses through revamped Non-Revenue Water programmes.
“NMBM remains committed to stabilising the water network, improving operational response, and strengthening communication with residents,” the municipality stated, urging all residents to “use water sparingly at all times.”
The municipality has introduced new protocols requiring all water-related complaints to be directed through the Call Centre for proper logging and response. A dedicated superintendent will now notify councillors immediately when issues arise that could result in water outages.
Residents in affected areas are advised to store water where possible and report any leaks or water-related issues through official channels as the municipality works to restore stable supply across the metro.
