Reservoir project slows despite urgent water needs

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26-09-2025
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Pretoria Rekord
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Originally due in March this year, the Parkmore Reservoir project has stalled again, despite being critical to meet Menlyn’s fast-growing water demand.

The Parkmore Reservoir in Newlands has hit another delay, pushing the completion date from the original March 3 deadline to June 30, 2026.

According to Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, construction is ongoing, with the completion currently at over 80%.

He said slow progress by the contractor, compounded by technical site conditions and delays in material procurement, was the main reason behind the setback.

“The new expected completion date is now set for the end of June 2026,” Mashigo said.

The Parkmore Reservoir, which has a capacity of 10 million litres, is designed to address water shortages in Pretoria east, particularly in the rapidly developing Menlyn node.

Mashigo explained that the region’s rapid growth makes the reservoir essential for meeting increasing domestic and commercial water demand.

“The construction of the Parkmore Reservoir is crucial in meeting the rapid increase in domestic and commercial water demand in the region, particularly in the high-density developments taking place in the Menlyn node,” he said.

The project’s budget for the 2024/25 financial year was initially set at R35.6-million but was reduced to R29.5-million during budget adjustments.

Mashigo said the reduction was due to lower spending and funds being redirected to other projects, and that no additional costs have been incurred at this stage.

He also confirmed that penalties were issued to the contractor for not meeting deadlines.

“A weekly monitoring team has been established to track the project’s progress and mitigate further delays.”

Ward 83 councillor Andrew Lesch attributed part of the delay to persistent rainfall and delays in receiving drawings.

However, Lesch said he was not aware of the new deadline.

He highlighted the importance of the second reservoir, noting that it will prevent the existing reservoir from running dry, which has, in the past, left residents without water for days.

“Now the [chances] of the reservoir running dry would be far [lower] because we will have enough water resources,” Lesch explained.

Residents in Pretoria east are advised to remain patient while the city works to complete this critical infrastructure.