R27bn needed for infrastructure upgrades, renewal: Joburg Water boss

Johannesburg Water is facing a critical infrastructure backlog estimated at R27bn, causing many neighbourhoods to suffer from irregular water supply as the ageing water systems buckle under the strain of increasing demand and inadequate investment.

On Monday, the entity's CEO Ntshavheni Mukwevho painted a grim picture of the city’s crumbling infrastructure, stressing that urgent action is needed to avert a complete collapse.

“We are sitting with a backlog of R27bn for infrastructure upgrading and renewal. This is the amount we need to fix ageing pipes, leaking reservoirs and deteriorating treatment plants,” Mukwevho said during Monday's briefing.

The backlog is part of a broader crisis facing the city’s water systems and delays in maintenance and upgrades have left residents in many areas experiencing intermittent water supply, he said.

“About 60% of our water infrastructure is beyond its designed lifespan. The result is frequent pipe bursts, water losses and inefficient supply systems that simply cannot meet the growing demand.”

Beyond the R27bn needed for immediate upgrades, Mukwevho also highlighted the financial constraints stifling long-term sustainability.

“The full financial requirement to ensure Johannesburg’s water system operates efficiently is in the range of R90bn over the next decade. Without this investment, the situation will only deteriorate further.

“However, there is a current strain due to operational challenges. We are losing about 40% of our water to leaks, illegal connections and outdated infrastructure. That’s a financial loss of more than R2bn every year.”

Efforts to mitigate the crisis have been hampered by funding shortfalls and administrative bottlenecks, he said.

“We are not saying we will fix everything overnight, but we need R3bn annually for the next 10 years to start addressing the most critical needs. Right now, we are not even close to that figure.

“We are supplying water to more than 5-million residents and this number is increasing year by year. Our systems were never designed to handle such a load.”

Mukwevho emphasised the need for government support and community co-operation to tackle the crisis.

“We cannot do this alone. We need financial backing from all levels of government and collaboration with residents to reduce wastage and illegal connections.

“We are facing an uphill battle with ageing infrastructure and huge backlogs. If we do not act decisively and urgently, the situation will worsen, affecting service delivery and residents’ livelihoods.”

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