Business
Joburg’s R33 billion plan to stop wasting a third of its water
A crisis too big to ignore
Johannesburg’s water system is under immense pressure. A staggering one-third of the city’s supply is lost through leaks, decaying pipes, and neglected infrastructure before it even reaches households. For residents, the crisis has become a daily reality of dry taps, water tank queues, and mounting frustration. Now, Joburg Water has presented a R33 billion plan it believes can turn things around.
The proposal was delivered to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, where Mayor Dada Morero and Joburg Water Managing Director Ntshavheni Mukwevho faced tough questions. Both admitted that decades of neglect, combined with high demand and illegal connections, have pushed the system to the edge.
Where the water goes
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water supplies enough bulk water for Gauteng municipalities. The problem is not supply but waste. Johannesburg is losing around 33% of its allocation to leaks and failing infrastructure. In practical terms, that means millions of litres are “thrown away” daily.
The city’s water demand now sits at 1,726 megalitres per day, far higher than the 1,550 Ml/d licence allows. At least 44 reservoirs are listed as old and leaking. Repair teams are under-resourced, and illegal connections near key infrastructure continue to drain water away from already struggling reservoirs.
The R33 billion plan
To close the gap, Joburg Water says it needs R3.25 billion a year over the next decade. The total R33 billion plan focuses on infrastructure renewal, treatment plant upgrades, and better demand management.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the city has already set aside R1.7 billion for capital projects, up from R1.29 billion last year. Key initiatives include:
-
Demand management: Upgrading secondary mains, retrofitting leaking household fixtures, and rolling out smart meters (R180 million).
-
New reservoirs and towers: The Brixton 26 Ml reservoir and tower are nearly complete, as is the 2 Ml Erand tower (R228 million).
-
Refurbishment projects: Seventeen reservoir complexes with 22 reservoirs are scheduled for repair. Contracts have been awarded for Meadowlands and HH2, with the rest due by November 2025 (R350 million).
-
Pipe replacement: The city aims to replace 85 km of old pipes this year to curb water losses and improve compliance with its water use licence.
Joburg Water also noted a renewal backlog of around R27 billion, meaning the plan is about catching up as much as moving forward.
What it means for residents
For ordinary Joburgers, these numbers matter less than whether water actually flows from their taps. Communities have grown weary of promises while living through outages, resorting to storing buckets of water or relying on tanker deliveries. The anger has boiled over into protests across the city.
Mayor Morero has insisted this new plan will mark a turning point. By investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades in the first four years, the city hopes residents will see results sooner rather than later.
Trust on the line
Johannesburg cannot afford to lose a third of its water supply while demand keeps rising. Success will depend on how quickly Joburg Water can deliver, how funds are managed, and whether residents notice real improvements in their homes and businesses.
If the R33 billion strategy works, it could restore confidence in the city’s ability to provide reliable basic services. If it fails, Johannesburg risks sinking deeper into a crisis where both infrastructure and public trust run dry.
Also read: More Pain at the Pumps: Why South Africans Face Another Petrol Price Hike
Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter, TikT
For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com
Source: Business Tech
Featured Image: Karibu
