Quick answer
Johannesburg has frequent unplanned outages and pressure failures, and they rarely come with useful notice. A 2,500 to 5,000 litre backup tank with a booster pump keeps toilets, showers and washing machines working through them. Sized properly it buys a household of four several days. The installation is as much an electrical job as a plumbing one, because the pump needs its own protected circuit and isolator.
What you can do now
- 1Work out your household's daily usage before choosing a size — bedrooms is a poor proxy
- 2Identify a level, well-drained position that can carry the weight when full
- 3Decide whether you want the whole house fed from the tank or just selected fixtures
- 4Check whether the municipal inlet can fill it fast enough between outages
- 5Plan for the electrical side early: the pump needs a protected circuit and an isolator
When to call a professional
Get a sizing quote covering the tank, stand or base, mains-fed inlet with a float valve, non-return protection, pressure pump and electrical isolator. Insist the electrical work is done by a registered electrician and issued with a COC — a pump wired into a convenient plug circuit is a common shortcut that fails inspection later and voids insurance if it causes damage.
Typical cost in Johannesburg
2,500L system fitted R18,000–R28,000
Indicative ranges only. We provide written, itemised quotes before any work.
Related services
Need a Plumber or Electrician Today?
Owner-managed by Garth Blair. We pick up the phone and book you in personally.