- Businesses in Park Central and Selby have had no permanent water for nearly nine months and rely on water tankers.
- Joburg Water says upgrades at the Hector Norris pump station are ongoing, while tankers arrive within 24 to 48 hours.
Businesses in Park Central and Selby, Johannesburg, have gone nearly nine months without a permanent water supply. Owners say they now rely on water tankers and fill containers by hand just to keep going.
Despite this, they still pay full municipal rates and water bills every month for water they do not receive.
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The shortage has caused serious health, safety and financial problems. Owners say costs have shot up and it is now harder to meet legal standards.
Neil Darling from Optimum Clutch System said the risk is real. "If there's a fire here, we would have no ability to put it out because there's no water," he said. Businesses also fear insurance claims could be rejected because they cannot meet safety requirements, Our City News reported.
Nelson Fernandez, who owns three businesses in the area, said owners are being charged for water they never get. "We are getting charged for water that we don't even get. The system is very pathetic," he said.
Fernandez said he tried to get help from city officials but got nowhere. "You go from one office to another, the system goes offline, and there's no help," he said.
Business owners say they were told the problem is linked to the Hector Norris pump station, about 3.5km from Park Central. But the city has not given them a clear timeline for repairs.
To cope, some businesses have installed JoJo tanks and water pumps. Others, like Robert Segar, pay private contractors between R1,500 and R2,000 a week to deliver up to 8,000 litres every second day.
Joburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said upgrades at the pump station are ongoing. "We are still providing water tankers daily for Selby customers ... Selby is getting intermittent supply," she said.
