Water reliability gap persists as 68.79% of households receive daily supply

South African households receive water supply in varying reliability, with 68.79% of homes getting a daily, uninterrupted water supply, according to parliamentary figures. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina revealed that 68.79% of 18.9 million households have reliable water access, while 83.94% of households have basic or higher service connections. The remaining 5.97% lack access to interim services, and 10.09% rely on communal standpipes, which are more than 200 meters away.

South African Human Rights Commission Commissioner Dr Henk Boshoff emphasized that water access is only valuable when it is reliable, with persistent service failures infringing on the constitutional right to sufficient water. The National Water Action Plan (NWAP) aims to address the issue by focusing on stabilising municipalities, governance reform, infrastructure investment, and anti-corruption measures.

A proposed Water Services Amendment Bill seeks to improve accountability by separating water authority roles from service delivery operators.

The reliability rate of 68.79% does not, however, address water quality, affordability, or whether the supplied water meets household needs. Therefore, assessing reliability alongside water quality, quantity, and accessibility is crucial. Federation for a Sustainable Environment CEO Mariette Liefferink urged the government to prioritize preventative maintenance, infrastructure renewal, and competent municipal management, in addition to reporting connections.

IRR researcher Chris Patterson cautioned that the poor state of water infrastructure remains a major concern, and that addressing this requires effective spending of grant allocations and building sustainable public-private partnerships.