Priya Moodley, Technical Director: Water Resources, WSP in Africa
South Africa stands at a critical crossroads in its water journey. Ranked the 33rd driest country in the world, it receives just half the global average rainfall. Amidst this, Gauteng, South Africa’s economic hub, depends on strategic water source areas for 67% of its supply - areas now threatened by invasive species, poor land management, and pollution, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This crisis is further compounded by mounting pressures from climate variability and rapid urbanisation, and systemic inefficiencies, where nearly half (47%) of the country’s clean, treated water is lost through leaks, bursts, faulty meters, or illegal connections.
Rising to the challenge of securing future water resources is no small feat. The Department of Water and Sanitation estimates that over R90 billion a year is needed for the next decade to repair and upgrade the country’s water infrastructure. But short-term fixes won’t be enough. We must build long-term resilience, which will require reimagining how water is valued, governed, and managed across every sector of society.
From reactivity to future preparedness
South Africa’s water sector has long operated in reactive mode, responding to droughts, floods, and pollution events as they arise. But this approach is no longer viable. Increasingly erratic rainfall and intensifying extreme weather demand a shift toward proactive, climate-resilient planning.
The main challenge in water resource planning is adapting to climate variability and changing rainfall patterns. Where predictable wet and dry seasons once enabled straightforward storage strategies, today’s intense rainfall often occurs over shorter periods, making it difficult to capture and store water effectively, where much is lost to runoff or discharged into the sea. This disrupts short-, medium-, and long-term water management, as climate variability and extended drought cycles make it harder to predict and secure reliable water supplies for users.
To navigate this complexity, integrated catchment management and proactive risk assessment must become central to effective water governance. Future readiness means moving beyond reactive crisis response toward a proactive risk-based, anticipatory mindset - one that identifies emerging threats, unlocks opportunities, and evolves policies and regulations with a sharper focus on implementation and enforcement.
Decoupling to unlock collective accountability
South Africa’s water governance is guided by the progressive and comprehensive National Water Act (1998). Yet the real challenge lies not in policy design, but in implementation, compliance, and enforcement. Encouragingly, signs of renewed focus are emerging - most notably through the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency, tasked with managing bulk water infrastructure, including dams and pipelines.
Water management is currently split across three core functions: infrastructure, water services, and regulation. For meaningful impact, greater integration and interoperability between these branches is essential.
Additionally, decentralisation and collaboration across the public sector, the private sector, civil societies, and communities are equally critical. Water must be embedded in all levels of planning, from mining and agriculture to the consistent delivery of safe, drinkable water.
We also need a cultural shift in how water is perceived. Stewardship and collective ownership must replace commodification. Water is not just a resource - it is an intrinsic and living part of our ecosystem.
A growing concern is the deterioration of water quality. Quantity alone is not enough; water must be life-sustaining. Wastewater treatment capacity and technical competency at the municipal level, compounded by rapid urbanisation, are factors that threaten the reliability of supply. Industrial and mining pollutants further degrade water quality, driving up treatment costs and harming ecosystems. Land use changes and habitat loss also erode biodiversity and river system integrity.
Another critical barrier is the undervaluation of water. In South Africa, water is generally underpriced, especially in agriculture, which consumes 60–65% of available resources. This imbalance between price and true cost - including transfer, treatment, and environmental impact – undermines incentives for conservation and infrastructure investment.
To shift this paradigm, public awareness must grow. Transparent communication about water’s finite nature and true value builds trust, supports behavioural change, and lays the foundation for long-term resilience.
Shared responsibility is imperative
Even amid complexity and challenge, there is cause for hope. South Africa has a robust regulatory foundation and a committed community of professionals working to safeguard our future water resources. While implementation hurdles persist, recent updates to the Water Act and growing engagement from corporates and civil society signal a shift in momentum.
To sustain this progress, we must invest in technical capacity and cultivate a culture of stewardship - one that prioritises sustainability not just in policy, but in practice.
A guiding principle worth embracing is this: we all live downstream. Water connects us all - across sectors, communities, and ecosystems. Its sustainability is not optional; it is a shared imperative.