Residents of Protea Retirement Village in Primrose, Ekurhuleni, say they have been without a reliable water supply for at least 51 days, leaving elderly people struggling to carry out basic daily activities.
The ongoing water crisis comes as residents cast their special votes on Monday, with some saying the situation will influence their decisions at the polls.
Residents say everyday tasks such as bathing, washing clothes, doing dishes and cleaning have become increasingly difficult.
Some have been forced to depend on family members to bring them water, while others wake up as early as 4am to collect whatever water comes through their taps.
One resident described the situation as unbearable, saying she could not remember when last she had a proper bath.
She said the lack of water had left residents unable to keep up with household chores and maintain basic hygiene.
Another resident described the situation as inhumane, particularly for elderly people who struggle to carry heavy water containers.
The crisis has also taken a physical toll on residents, with one woman saying she suffers from back problems and struggles to collect water.
She said the lack of water had left her with very few clean clothes, while she had resorted to bathing in limited amounts of water collected during the early hours of the morning.
Ward councillor Wendy Morgan says residents in Primrose, Dawnview and surrounding areas continue to experience an unreliable water supply, despite Rand Water indicating that the Churchill pump station is operating at full capacity.
Morgan attributed the intermittent supply to insufficient water from Rand Water, saying residents typically receive water for a few hours overnight before the supply runs dry during the day.
She explained that the Primrose pump station receives water directly from Rand Water, meaning any reduction in supply affects the surrounding areas.
Morgan added that local pumps need to be monitored and switched off when there is insufficient water to prevent them from burning out.
She said she relies on residents to alert the municipality when water supplies run dry so that the necessary steps can be taken.
However, Morgan stressed that the municipality has limited options when there is insufficient water from Rand Water.
"If there's no water from Rand Water, there's nothing we can do from our side at all," she said.