After more than a year of burst-pipe headaches, detours, dry taps and water tankers, Johannesburg Water has finally completed repairs on the infamous Pretoria Avenue pipeline – bringing cautious relief to Sandton’s residents.

• The utility confirmed that the major repair operation, which required a full water shutdown from 9 May 2025 to 13 May 2025, has been completed successfully.
• Following thorough inspection and testing, Johannesburg Water has begun gradually reopening the water outlet – starting at 50% capacity.
• Johannesburg Water has expressed gratitude to affected residents for their patience and cooperation, acknowledging the enormous inconvenience the repair operation has caused.
• Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.

For residents in lower-lying suburbs, the sound of running taps may already be a welcome reality. Those perched in higher areas, however, will need to hold off on the celebrations a little longer as water pressure stabilises across the network.

The integrity of the pipeline has been confirmed. As a result, water supply is now being reintroduced into the network and is steadily returning to normal.

// Johannesburg Water Spokesperson

The leak on Pretoria Avenue in Sandton had become something of a local legend—a full-road-width chasm in one of the city’s busiest districts, affecting both pedestrian and vehicle access for months.

This weekend’s five-day shutdown aimed to create dry conditions on-site to allow for welding and final repairs – a mission that, by all accounts, has now been accomplished. Now it is a matter of filling in the trench and let Pretoria Avenue live again.

While the pipeline is back in action, Johannesburg Water warns that full system recovery will take time. Pressure needs to balance, airlocks must clear, and the entire network requires careful monitoring to ensure stability.

Residents in higher-lying areas may continue to experience low pressure or no supply temporarily. Our teams are actively overseeing the recovery process and will continue to provide updates.

// Johannesburg Water Spokesperson

In the meantime, alternative water supply arrangements – including water tankers – will remain in place to assist where needed.

Johannesburg Water has reminded all motorists and pedestrians to steer clear of the area and use alternative routes for their safety and the safety of work crews still on site.

The months-long saga has certainly tested the limits of community resilience in Africa’s richest square mile. From borehole water bathing to neighbourhood WhatsApp water alerts, Sandtonites have had to adapt quickly and support each other through a period of prolonged uncertainty. With the repairs now behind them, many are hoping that this chapter of infrastructure instability can give way to a more proactive era of urban maintenance.

For now, it’s a cautious sigh of relief in Sandton – water is (almost) fully back, the pipes are holding, and maybe – just maybe – Pretoria Avenue will return to something resembling normal.

Stand a chance to WIN with The Sandton Times.

Advertise on The Sandton Times today!

Head back to The Sandton Times Home Page for more stories.