If you live in Cape Town or nearby areas, get ready for some planned water interruptions coming up soon.

The city has announced that maintenance work on the water network will cause shutdowns lasting up to 11 hours in certain neighborhoods.

These are necessary upgrades to keep the water system reliable, but they will mean no water for parts of the city on specific days.

Here’s what you need to know to plan ahead.

Areas Scheduled for Water Shutdown from 17 to 25 June

The City of Cape Town has pinpointed several areas that will experience water outages as crews perform upgrades and install new equipment:

Morgenster Heights and Surrounding Areas: On Tuesday 17 June and Wednesday 18 June, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., residents in Morgenster Heights, Morgenster, St Michaels, Scottsville, Scottsdene, and Okavango Park (Brackenfell) will face water shutdowns. This is to allow workers to upgrade pipes and valves at key street intersections.
Kenwyn and Lansdowne: Also on Tuesday 17 June, water will be off between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. along parts of Racecourse Road in Lansdowne. This is for the installation of a new control valve on the main water supply.
Steenberg Golf Estate Area: On Wednesday 18 June, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., residents near Tokai Road, Highlands Avenue, Catharina Avenue, and surrounding streets will have water off so that Reduced Pressure Zone valves can be safely fitted onto pipelines.
Newlands and Claremont: A test shutdown will happen on Wednesday 18 June from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Talana Road. The main shutdown to connect a new pipeline will take place a week later, on 25 June, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Residents on Talana Road and nearby streets will be affected.

Water Treatment Plants Undergo Annual Maintenance

Apart from pipeline work, the city will also be performing scheduled maintenance at major water treatment facilities:

Voëlvlei Water Treatment Plant: This plant will be offline from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday 17 June. Residents and businesses in Durbanville, Fisantekraal, and Klipheuwel should conserve water during this time. Thankfully, reservoirs in these areas will be topped up ahead of time.
Molteno Reservoir Cleaning: Starting Monday 16 June through to Monday 11 July, the Molteno Reservoir will be cleaned. Water supply will temporarily be rerouted from the Tygerberg Reservoir to cover affected areas during this period.

If you live in any of the affected neighborhoods, make sure to fill water containers in advance to manage during the shutdown hours.

Reducing water use before and during maintenance will also help ease pressure on the system.