The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality continues to experience significant pressure on its water distribution system due to ongoing water deficits across several strategic reservoirs. While some supply zones remain stable, others continue to experience low pressure, intermittent supply or no water.
Current Zone Status
Chelsea Zone: The Chelsea Reservoir continues to battle to recover due to high demand, affecting most western suburbs. Consumers are experiencing low water pressure or no water.
Emerald Hill, Heatherbank, Lovemore Heights and Upper Lovemore: Reservoirs in this zone remain depleted and are struggling to recover due to intermittent pumping at Schonnies. This is caused by reduced water availability in the Churchill pipeline. Operational adjustments are underway, however full recovery is expected to take more than two days.
Airport and Driftsands Zone: The system remains under strain, with residents experiencing low pressure or no water.
Greenbushes Zone: Reservoir levels remain low, with water disruptions affecting mainly higher-lying areas, including St Albans. Operational adjustments are being implemented to improve recovery.
Gelvandale and Struandale Zone: This densely populated supply zone, which includes Zwide, KwaZakhele, New Brighton, Missionvale, Algoa Park and surrounding areas, continues to experience sporadic water disruptions due to high demand on the system.
Chatty, Reservoir Hills and Bloemendal Zone: The system is stable, and consumers should have water.
Motherwell, Wells Estate and Bluewater Bay Zone: The system is stable, and consumers should have water.
Fairbridge Heights and Van Riebeeck Hoogte Zone: The system is stable, and consumers should have water.
Colchester Zone: The reservoir is critically low due to a water leak. The reservoir has been isolated, and repair work will commence immediately.
Rosedale, Kabah and Mountain View Zone: The system has stabilised following improvements at the water treatment works, and consumers should have water.
KwaNobuhle Zone: All reservoirs have recovered except Reservoir 2, which remains at 0%. Consumers supplied by this reservoir continue to experience water disruptions.
Summary of Reservoir Levels
- Chelsea – 8%
- Emerald Hill – 8%
- Greenbushes – 14%
- Gelvandale – 18%
- Malabar – 10%
- Struandale – 27%
- Airport – 7%
- Driftsands – 34%
- Rosedale – 0%
- Chatty – 32%
- Motherwell – 66%
- Bloemendal – 56%
- Heatherbank – 0%
- Lovemore Heights – 0%
- Upper Tank – 0%
- Fairview – 65%
- Fort Nottingham – 71%
- Glendinning – 70%
- Van Riebeeck Hoogte – 43%
- Fairbridge Heights – 76%
- KwaNobuhle 4 – 52%
- KwaNobuhle 3 – 79%
- KwaNobuhle 2 – 0%
- KwaNobuhle 1 – 59%
- Kabah Rectangular – 32%
- Kabah Circular – 41%
Areas at Risk
As the metro operates on an integrated water distribution system, water deficits in one supply zone can affect other areas. Due to the vulnerability of the system, the following areas may experience intermittent supply, low pressure or no water:
- Parts of Rosedale, Kabah and Langa
- Mountain View
- MacNaughton
- Fairbridge Heights
- Motherwell
- iKamvelihle
- Wells Estate
- Bluewater Bay
- St George’s
- Walmer Township
- Walmer (7th–14th Avenue)
- Glen Hurd
- Newton Park
- Schauderville
- Mangold Park
- Greenacres
- Perridgevale
- Adcockvale
- Parsons Hill
- Glendinningvale
- Mill Park
- Linkside
- Mount Croix
- Richmond Hill
- High-lying areas of Central
- Rowallan Park
- Greenbushes
- Bridgemeade
- Hunters Retreat
- Kabega Park
- Parsons Ridge
- Parsonsvlei
- Francis Evatt Park
- Morningside
- Baywest
- Sherwood
- Lorraine
- Malabar
- Barcelona
- Gelvandale
- Bloemendal Extensions
- Chatty
- Booysens Park
- 7 Delaan
- Walmer Heights
- Greenshields Park
- Fairview
- Walmer Downs
- KwaNobuhle
Interventions currently Underway:
Municipal operational teams continue to implement measures to stabilise the water supply system, including:
- Deploying water tankers to priority areas experiencing prolonged outages.
- Optimising water treatment and pumping operations to maximise available supply.
- Continuously monitoring and managing reservoir levels across the metro.
- Implementing operational adjustments to improve distribution and reservoir recovery.
- Promoting responsible water use through ongoing public awareness campaigns.
The Municipality appeals to all residents and businesses to use water sparingly and avoid all non-essential water consumption while the system remains under pressure. Every litre saved contributes to maintaining reservoir levels and improving water availability across the metro.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality acknowledges the inconvenience experienced by affected communities and assures residents that every available resource is being utilised to restore stability to the metro’s water supply system as quickly as possible. Further updates will be communicated as more information becomes available.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
