The water supply crisis buffeting Gauteng’s three metros is yet another example of the breakdown of service delivery as the government struggles to maintain infrastructure crucial to economic growth, the business sector says.
The Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane metros have been hit by water supply challenges as demand outstrips supply.
Water is crucial to several industries including manufacturing, while agriculture uses about 60% of all available water in the country for irrigation.
The Gauteng metros recently issued statements urging consumers to use water sparingly after noticing a surge in demand spurred by high consumption, which put a strain on the metros’ and Rand Water’s water supply systems.
Rand Water supplies the Gauteng metros, local municipalities, mines and other industries, as well as parts of Mpumalanga, the North West and the Free State, with an average of 3.653-million litres of drinkable water daily.
Business Unity SA (Busa) CEO Cas Coovadia said the water crisis is “one more manifestation of the breakdown” in service delivery as the government has been unable to maintain and/or build new infrastructure, which is needed for economic growth and job creation.
Busa, which represents almost all big businesses in the country, has been vocal about the government’s failures in addressing the socioeconomic crises facing SA.
WaterCAN, an initiative of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), said it had called for urgent meetings with Rand Water and Johannesburg Water .
“Over the past year, Gauteng has witnessed a disturbing increase in water challenges, marked by frequent shutdowns, water shedding and now ‘water shifting’. This crisis has left numerous communities without water for days, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive solutions,” WaterCAN said in a statement.
“The situation has reached a critical point, with cities like Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni routinely losing 30% to 34% of their water to leaks and losses, while Emfuleni experiences an alarming 71% loss.
“These statistics, released in a reply to parliament by the minister of water & sanitation, underscore the urgent need for immediate action. WaterCAN emphasises that these losses are not just numbers; they represent a dire reality of irresponsible behaviour that SA can no longer afford.”
WaterCAN executive manager Ferrial Adam said: “At a time when every drop of water matters, we cannot allow negligence, poor excuses and grandstanding to be in the way of responsible water management. SA’s water leaks are not only an environmental crisis, but also a testament to the lack of accountability that has gone unaddressed for far too long.”
The government needs to acknowledge the severity of the water crisis, Adam said. “Ignoring it violates our human rights, and they must be held accountable. We urge them to seek help and abandon political games. If urgent action is not taken, we are heading towards a deeper crisis.”
In a note released on Monday, Johannesburg Water said that while supply had been restored in some affected areas, other reservoirs remained “critically low due to poor supply and high demand”.
“Johannesburg Water continues to provide alternative water supply for the affected areas. Residents are requested to observe level 1 water restrictions which are implemented from September 1 to March 31.”
These restrictions prohibit the use of hosepipes to water gardens, wash cars, clean driveways and fill swimming pools and water features between 6am and 6pm. The use of greywater is encouraged.
Johannesburg Water was allocated R15.6bn for operational requirements and R3.1bn for capital expenditure (R2.6bn for water and R514m for sewerage) from the metro’s budget of R80.9bn for 2023/24.
Main opposition party the DA has called for heads to roll at Rand Water.
For its part, the water utility said in its defence that demand outstripped supply at this time of the year. “Since the beginning of spring, Rand Water’s bulk-water provision to municipalities has increased from an average 4,300-million litres of water a day to 4,800-million litres of water a day,” it said.
“It is evident that the challenge is not a lack of capacity to supply water, but rather high consumption because of this hot period. This year’s elevated consumption is anticipated to compound, attributed to SA’s ongoing encounter with the El Nino phenomenon.”
It is also worth noting that nonrevenue water (leaks in the network) “remains a huge concern in the municipal distribution network”, it said.
Water & sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu has said water infrastructure backlogs will cost R89.9bn a year over 10 years, “with 3,698,074 kilolitres of water lost every single day due to infrastructure failure and leakages”.
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