Daily Maverick
Dailymaverick logo

Our Burning Planet

Our Burning Planet, Op-eds

Navigating water scarcity — Johannesburg’s efforts to balance rising demand with dwindling supply

Navigating water scarcity — Johannesburg’s efforts to balance rising demand with dwindling supply
Logan Munsamy
By Logan Munsamy
25 Sep 2024
Facebook
1
Our monitoring systems have revealed an unsustainable increase in water usage, making it more important than ever to ensure we have a continuous, sustainable water supply. Johannesburg residents need to understand that water availability is not infinite.

The uncertainty around future trends in climate, economic activities, population growth, water demand, and infrastructure investment needs means that Johannesburg faces a tough balancing act in addressing water consumption, which is exceeding supply. 

South Africa is no stranger to droughts and extreme weather conditions that significantly affect water scarcity and conservation. 

Water scarcity is not just a future concern – it’s a present reality. Johannesburg has to tackle high water consumption head-on, especially as we head into the high-temperature months when demand increases.

The City of Johannesburg has already implemented Level 1 water restrictions from 1 September to 31 March, but conserving water is a year-round responsibility. 

A concerning challenge linked to water scarcity is the rising levels of non-revenue water in Johannesburg. Non-revenue water includes water that is produced but not billed due to non-payment, leaks, infrastructure vandalism and theft, as well as illegal connections.

The entity is not only dealing with the problem of consumption; the issue of water that goes unaccounted for is equally alarming. There is a need to address both high consumption and water losses through improved demand management. 

Water demand management – a key priority 


Water demand management involves reforms and actions aimed at optimising existing water supplies and promoting efficient use of this scarce resource. This is critical for municipalities across the country, particularly for the City of Johannesburg.

The city has seen a steep rise in water demand, pushing Johannesburg Water to prioritise its water conservation and water demand management strategy. 

It is important to note that our monitoring systems have revealed an unsustainable increase in water usage, making it more important than ever to ensure we have a continuous, sustainable water supply. Johannesburg residents need to understand that water availability is not infinite, and continued high demand will only put more pressure on the city’s already strained water supply system. 

The path to sustainable water use 


According to data from December 2023, water demand in South Africa is projected to exceed supply by 2030. In response, Johannesburg Water is aiming to reduce water consumption to 175 litres per person per day (compared with the current rate of 270 litres per capita per day) as outlined in the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan. This target is part of a broader effort to promote water conservation and ensure sustainable water usage across the city. 

To tackle the issue, several initiatives have been introduced. These include public-private partnerships, advanced metering for large water users, pressure management and prepaid metres for households to improve monitoring and billing accuracy. 

The water utility is also working on improving its water billing systems and investigating areas where non-revenue water is rising (and implementing mitigation strategies accordingly).

Teams have been set up to review billing volumes, and the current metering system is being enhanced to track revenue and non-revenue water more efficiently. 

Johannesburg Water implemented various activities to reduce the bulk water supply into its area of responsibility. Leaking reservoirs that require urgent refurbishment were identified during previous financial years. These reservoirs were allocated to a panel of consultants for design and scoping with the intention to start repairing them in the current financial year.

The utility is also embarking on water pipe replacements to reduce the water lost through pipe leaks. 

Call to action


While Johannesburg Water is investing in alternative water sources and conservation tools, infrastructure deterioration continues to outpace investment. The utility has embarked on public-private partnerships and performance-based contracts as a vehicle to bridge the current funding gap.

However, addressing water scarcity and conservation remain at the centre of development plans of Johannesburg Water.  

Ultimately, water security is a shared responsibility. The actions we take today to save water will safeguard our resources for tomorrow, ensuring a more sustainable future for our city and its residents. DM 

Logan Munsamy is Johannesburg Water’s Senior Manager: Water Demand Management and Technical Metering.

Categories:

Tags: