The decision by the cabinet to endorse a plan that will see the majority of South Africans paying for every drop of water they use seems, at face value, to be a game changer. Tough decisions had to be taken after a number of reports exposed the extent to which we have neglected our the water infrastructure in a country that is becoming drier every year.Though the government' s bold step to stop freeloading is laudable, questions have to be raised about how water wastage, as a result of ageing infrastructure and weak management, is to be addressed .The five biggest municipalities pay a total of R3.7-billion annually to provide free water to all.The City of Johannesburg pays R500-million, City of Cape Town R592-million and City of Tshwane R101-million.Ekurhuleni spends about R1.8-billion and eThekwini R705-million.What is of concern, though, is that we are not told how the money saved by this new initiative will be used.The problem South Africa faces today is how to convince people to start paying.How do we determine who is poor and who is in the middle class?The reality on the ground is that many of those who claim to be poor are able to keep their DStv accounts up to date.We know that some people start by paying their clothing and cellphone accounts before they even think of paying their municipal bills.In this country, the majority of those who claim they belong to the middle class are just a pay cheque away from poverty.While the government must enforce its laws and regulations, it should avoid forcing already struggling citizens into a corner.It must deal with issues surrounding our ailing water infrastructure and improve how we manage this scarce resource.South Africa needs a detailed water management plan that will secure all of our water interests...