Joburg Water is facing a significant challenge, losing 12 million litres of water every day due to illegal connections made by residents in informal settlements across the southern parts of the city. This staggering water loss is linked to approximately 40,000 households in 44 informal settlements who are tapping into the municipal supply without authorization.
Kagiso Manganye, Joburg Water’s Deep South regional manager, shared the alarming figures during a media tour at the Orange Farm reservoir. He explained that the illegal connections are a major strain on the city’s water resources. “From the illegal connections, we’re losing about 12 million litres of water per day. That’s a substantial loss,” Manganye said, highlighting the significant impact these unauthorized connections have on water supply management.
Manganye further stressed that Joburg Water’s daily allocation of 1,500 megalitres from Rand Water is already stretched thin, and the illegal connections only exacerbate the issue. Despite efforts to provide informal settlements with 1.4 million litres of water daily through water tankers, illegal connections are far outpacing the official supply, leaving the utility struggling to meet demand.
The media tour, organized by Joburg Water, aimed to provide a clearer understanding of the challenges involved in managing water supplies. With growing pressures on the system, the utility is working hard to address the issue of illegal connections while ensuring access to water for all residents in the city.
