Water Crisis in Johannesburg: Families Bear the Brunt of Failing Infrastructure

Water shortages in Johannesburg are costing residents far more than just their monthly utility bills. As taps run dry across the city, households are forced to spend heavily on alternatives like water tanks, boreholes, or even buying water by the bucket—deepening the financial strain on communities already hit by power cuts, potholes, and housing backlogs.

For many, staying water-resilient has become a matter of survival rather than convenience. While the City of Johannesburg offers a limited amount of free water, the cost quickly escalates with higher consumption. Meanwhile, residents in informal settlements pay far more for less, and some are left with no choice but to rely on roaming water tankers—or pay steep prices to private sellers.

What water really costs in Joburg

In informal areas, water scarcity often drives people to pay as much as R15 for a 20- to 25-liter bucket, reflecting the deep inequality in access to essential services. This stands in sharp contrast to the city’s official policy, which provides 6 kilolitres (6,000 liters) of water per household per month for free.

After the free allocation, Johannesburg implements a tiered billing system, where the price of water rises based on the volume used:

• 6 to 10 kilolitres: R8.75 per kilolitre

• 10 to 15 kilolitres: R11.08 per kilolitre

• 15 to 20 kilolitres: R13.37 per kilolitre

• 20 to 30 kilolitres: R19.84 per kilolitre

• 30 kilolitres and above: R19.84 per kilolitre

These rates apply to households with pre-paid meters connected to Johannesburg Water’s sewer system.

Mayor’s promises clash with on-the-ground reality

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero acknowledged the city’s deteriorating infrastructure in his State of the City Address, pledging to restore water reliability and improve service delivery. He announced the formation of a special team dubbed the “bomb squad”, to be led by veteran Snuki Zikalala, to address critical citywide issues.

Morero also promised President Cyril Ramaphosa that water delivery would improve. However, many residents remain skeptical as outages persist and prices climb.

Nationally, South Africa’s Water and Sanitation Ministry has vowed to intervene, but the crisis continues to expose structural failures across the country’s urban management systems.

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Sourced:IOL

Picture: CitiNewsRoom