Joburg Water Faces R27bn Infrastructure Crisis Amid Growing Demand

Johannesburg Water is grappling with a critical infrastructure backlog of R27 billion, leaving many areas of the city with an unreliable water supply. Ageing systems, compounded by growing demand and insufficient investment, have led to frequent pipe bursts, leaks, and inefficiencies.

During a briefing on Monday, CEO Ntshavheni Mukwevho described the dire state of the city’s water infrastructure. “Sixty percent of our water infrastructure is beyond its designed lifespan,” Mukwevho explained, emphasizing that urgent upgrades are necessary to avoid a complete collapse.

Major Challenges Highlighted

• Massive Financial Losses: Around 40% of the city’s water supply is lost annually to leaks, illegal connections, and outdated infrastructure, costing over R2 billion.
• Daily Water Loss: Illegal connections from informal settlements contribute to the loss of 12 million liters of water daily.
• Future Requirements: To ensure the city’s water system operates efficiently, R90 billion will be required over the next decade.

Mukwevho acknowledged the entity’s limited resources, stating, “We need R3 billion annually for the next 10 years to address the most urgent issues, but we are far from reaching this target.”

Mukwevho called for assistance from government entities and residents, urging collaboration to tackle illegal connections and reduce wastage. “We cannot do this alone. Financial backing and community cooperation are essential to improve service delivery,” he said.

Without immediate action, the water crisis in Johannesburg will worsen, potentially affecting millions of residents.

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