South Africa’s Gauteng provincial government has urged residents and businesses to use less water. Data from Rand Water shows that Tshwane and Johannesburg are consuming more water than their licence agreements allow: Johannesburg by 5% and Tshwane by 11.8%, as of August 17.
But while residents and businesses should use water responsibly, WaterCAN executive manager Dr Ferrial Adam has told Business Day that pressure on Gauteng’s water system is the result of ageing infrastructure and leaks. Gauteng’s three metros, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, account for 70% of the water supplied by Rand Water.
Johannesburg alone has lost R2-billion in physical losses from leaks in the 2024/25 financial year.
