The City of Cape Town has announced planned water supply disruptions running from 3 to 10 May 2026, with multiple suburbs facing outages and the Blackheath Water Treatment Plant shutting down entirely from 6 May. Residents across the metro have been asked to reduce consumption and store water ahead of the affected window.
The disruptions are maintenance-related and were communicated through the City’s official alert channels ahead of the start date.
While some outages are localised, the Blackheath plant shutdown from 6 to 10 May is expected to noticeably reduce bulk water production across Cape Town, affecting areas well beyond the immediate plant vicinity.
The Faure Water Treatment Plant is also included in the maintenance schedule.
Which suburbs are affected and when
Parts of Rondebosch and Mowbray lost supply on Sunday, 3 May, from 08:00 to 16:00, for valve replacement work in Harris Road. On 5 May, disruptions extend to Oranjezicht, Bergvliet, Constantia, Goodwood, Delft and Hout Bay.
The Blackheath treatment plant goes offline on 6 May at 07:00 and remains shut until 10 May at 23:59.
The City has asked all residents, not only those in directly affected suburbs, to limit water use to what is genuinely necessary through the maintenance window.
Residents are advised to fill clean, sealed containers in advance and to keep taps closed during outage periods to prevent airlock damage to plumbing systems once supply returns.
The broader water context
The announcement comes as Cape Town has been managing conservation pressures following a dry summer in parts of the Western Cape. Dam levels sat at 51.8% in March 2026, with the City issuing an urgent call for conservation during a heat event in the same month.
The May maintenance disruptions are infrastructure-driven rather than supply shortage-related, but the City’s request for broader resident participation in reducing consumption reflects the conservation culture that has remained embedded in Cape Town’s water management approach since the Day Zero crisis of 2018.
The Blackheath Water Treatment Plant is expected to return to full operation by 11 May.
Residents in affected areas should follow the City of Cape Town’s official alert channel for suburb-level updates as the maintenance window moves through the week.
