The City of Johannesburg is losing approximately R10-billion each year due to non-revenue water, a figure driven by decaying infrastructure, widespread pipe bursts, and illegal connections. With water losses now climbing toward 50 percent of the total supply purchased from Rand Water, the city faces a severe fiscal shortfall that threatens ongoing service delivery.
Infrastructure Decay And Financial Impact
Data indicates that non-revenue water—water that is produced and lost before reaching the customer—has surged from about 30 percent in 2013/14 to nearly 50 percent in the 2023/24 financial cycle. Analysts describe the situation as a cycle of decline, where the lack of maintenance funds prevents the repair of ageing pipes, which in turn leads to further losses and reduced revenue for Johannesburg Water.
The City of Johannesburg is essentially bleeding R10-billion a year directly into the ground through leaking pipes and unbilled consumption, according to water analysts following the latest performance reports.
Addressing Systemic Losses
While reports cite the R10-billion loss as an annual reality, the exact split between technical water losses, such as cracks in century-old pipes, and commercial losses, including illegal water theft, remains a focus of ongoing municipal audits. Addressing these challenges is critical for the economic stability of the province, as the municipality struggles to balance capital expenditure on infrastructure with the rising cost of bulk water procurement from Rand Water. The city is expected to provide further updates on its infrastructure renewal programme during the next municipal council sitting.