The high cost of leaking water pipes
Gauteng loses about 27% of its treated water due to leaking pipes, amounting to 431 billion litres a year, an expert says.
A water expert warns that patching old asbestos pipes is not a viable solution, as additional strain leads to leaks in other areas. Hidden leaks underground cause significant losses, with Gauteng losing 27% of its treated water – 431 billion litres annually – due to pipe leaks. The escalating temperatures and water demand have left Gauteng residents struggling with water cutoffs and restrictions.
Johannesburg, consuming 1,801 million litres of water daily, exceeds its licensed allocation by 33%. Rand Water states it cannot continue increasing water extraction from the Vaal River system without jeopardising its long-term stability.
Replacing the critical 2,500km of Johannesburg's water pipes is estimated to cost R7 billion, yet only 20km were replaced in 2024-25, with 85km as the unmet target for 2025-26. The auditor-general reports Johannesburg lost R10.3 billion worth of water over four years. Banks are reluctant to lend for pipe replacement due to concerns over corrupt and incompetent contractors.
The challenge lies in converting expected water savings into tangible collateral. Smart meters can detect leaks in real-time, quantifying water waste before new pipes are installed and the savings afterwards. An independent auditor verifies these savings, and a portion of the money saved is placed in a protected account to repay the loan.
A digital water ledger ensures transparency, enabling everyone to track the recovered funds and their allocation. The cycle of leaking pipes, wasted water, and insufficient investment traps our cities. To break free, we must think differently and utilise tomorrow's water savings to fund today's repairs.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.