South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation has confirmed that the country needs to spend over R90 billion each year for the next decade to repair and upgrade existing water infrastructure, with a maintenance backlog now totalling R400 billion in the worst-affected municipalities. Department data shows more than 1.1 million households still do not have access to potable water, while nearly half of all municipal water is lost before reaching consumers due to leaks, faulty meters, or illegal connections.

Extent Of The Infrastructure And Service Collapse

The Department’s 2022 and 2023 No Drop reports found that 47% of municipal water is now lost to so-called ‘non-revenue water’, attributed to leaking pipes, unreliable or missing meters, illegal connections, and poor billing systems. The Department identifies 105 municipalities as ‘critical’ or ‘poor’ performers in its recent Blue, Green, and No Drop audits, where basic infrastructure and water quality standards are consistently not met.

Speaking in February 2026, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina stated, “As we pump the water, the infrastructure has decayed. The water is leaking and treated water, which is supposed to reach households, is running down the streets.” President Cyril Ramaphosa also conceded during a national address in July 2026 that government has fallen short in maintaining water services, saying, “In too many municipalities, government has not succeeded with the maintenance of infrastructure, to manage water services properly and to respond with sufficient urgency. Parts of our country are experiencing worsening water shortages and deteriorating water quality.”

Financial, Social, And Political Implications

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) has warned that failure to address the collapsing water system will have widespread economic and health impacts, with communities facing chronic shortages and deteriorating water quality. The demand for water continues to grow due to population pressures, while climate change brings both drought and flooding, further straining under-resourced systems.

Despite increased recognition of the crisis, SAICE and water sector experts argue that state intervention has thus far been insufficient to match the annual investment required to reverse decades of under-maintenance. Observers note that municipalities most affected often lack the capacity or resources to act, increasing the potential for future unrest and deepening inequality if service delivery does not improve.

The Department is under pressure to release a detailed plan by year-end addressing the most urgent infrastructure interventions and to provide updates on the quality and frequency of water provision at the municipal level.