Water is the most critical yet threatened resource globally and its scarcity in countries like South Africa can lead to a crisis.
Water crisis in South Africa
Residents in South Africa’s cities will eagerly share their feelings regarding shortcomings in the service delivery of water.
In fact, in many parts of the country, residents go without potable water for days or even weeks at a time.
This issue does not only affect the major cities. Other parts of the country also suffer water shutdowns, sometimes on an even larger scale.
Unsustainable use of water
The UNU, warns long-term water use has exceeded renewable inflows and safe depletion limits.
As a result, parts of our natural water capital – including rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands, soils, and glaciers – have been damaged beyond realistic prospects of full recovery.
In 2022 alone, 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water, 3.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation and 2 billion people lacked basic hand‑hygiene facilities at home all in the same year.
This global shortage is also echoed locally, where the country finds itself in crisis – from infrastructure failures to system pressures and widespread outages.
A clear demonstration of how quickly water insecurity can escalate when system. This signals a need for urgent interventions to preserve and protect this resource.
Water as a national priority
It is no secret that South Africa has had a water challenge for several years and is known as one of the 30 most water-scarce countries in the world, and many believe that the country will face a major water crisis in the coming decade.
The National Water and Sanitation Master plan indicates that water demand will exceed the available supply at the required level of assurance by between 1,6 billion and 2,7 billion cubic metres by 2030.
“We are continuing to see that South Africa is in a constant state of water security crisis, which needs urgent attention to address the infrastructure challenges that it is facing,” Shoba Govender, Commercial Director at Interwaste comments.
“A report to Parliament highlighting the critical status of water in Johannesburg noted that non-revenue water is pegged at 44.8%. A disheartening reality that the city bills collect only 55.2% of water revenue – resulting in an annual deficit of almost R7 billion. Unfortunately, this means, aging wastewater management infrastructure often takes a back seat to urgent repairs and maintenance, leading to leaky water pipeline system with an economic and health impact.”
On average, South Africans’ consumption of water is 218 litres per capita per day, compared to the international average of 173 litres per capita per day.
So, the questions become, who takes responsibility for water preservation, supply, quality and access in the country. And how is this duty shared by government and the private sector.
The case of waste management for water security
Govender stresses that waste treatment technology is key to solving the problem.
“To effectively address the water crisis, it is key to understand that waste treatment technologies are pivotal in this effort, they optimise water management and reuse cycles, supporting both government and industry in building resilience. Water resilience is about ensuring utilities can withstand and quickly recover from disasters, securing continuous access to safe drinking water and effective wastewater treatment.” Govender says.
Adaptable solutions need to be developed for the big corporate, as well as everyday consumers – where wastewater treatment becomes the norm and not a far-off vision.
Without this approach the lack of adequate clean water required to meet human drinking water and sanitation needs will remain.
“We have a conundrum where business, community, and at some levels of Government, are still under-informed about the potential of well-managed, compliant, and innovative waste management solutions. Therefore, to make an impact, we need a shift from the traditional linear production process – ‘the take-make-dispose model’ – towards one that aims to reduce all unnecessary waste materials, while reducing energy and raw material consumption and enabling these resources to be fed back the production cycle. The ‘Circular Economy’ model.”
In this season, there has never been a better and more pressing time for companies within the public and private sector to play their part in the sustainable management of water resources.
“Protecting our limited water resources is going to require not only better recycling and reuse, but more effective wastewater management and water conservation strategies,” Govender says.
Water is a limited resource that is essential for all life on this planet, which makes it more astounding that so many of us simply take it for granted, especially in a semi-arid country like South Africa.
Given the unpredictable nature of climate change and the increasing demands on limited water resources, the potential for water scarcity to become a severe crisis in South Africa unfortunately remains high.
Solutions for impact
Wastewater, and the treatment thereof, has become a critical consideration to addressing scarcity and safety issues.
Effluent water treatment is one example.
If treated to the required standards, as set out by national environmental agencies, we have found that nearly all effluent can be recycled, if done properly, a significant additional water resource becomes available, which previously may not have been considered as ‘safe’ for the environment or community.
A good example is the Interwaste Leachate and Effluent treatment plant, which recovers in excess of 90% of incoming Leachate and effluent as clean water, which adds up to approximately 36 million litres annually.
This not only eases pressure on freshwater resources but also reinforces Interwaste’s commitment to water conservation, responsible resource use, and biodiversity protection.
“In fact, it is proven that innovative wastewater management can result in the redistribution of this water into the environment for irrigation and dust suppression, as well as to replenish rivers and catchments in our water infrastructure networks. The different technologies are so advanced today, that effluent can even be treated further to provide potable (drinking) water for areas where it is in short supply,” adds Govender.
As such, the facility stands as a strong example of how innovative, circular approaches can address the country’s mounting water challenges while enabling sustainable industrial practices.
Essentially the focus is on innovating around infrastructure and technologies, addressing skill deficiencies and planning for the impact of climate change.
World Water Day 2026
As we commemorate World Water Day on 22nd March 2026, we need to remember it’s a collective effort.
Business, communities, individuals and government all need to take greater collective responsibility and awareness of the potential of well-managed, compliant, and innovative waste management solutions to sustain water supply.
The reality, however, is that a growing population continues to place increasing pressure on infrastructure and natural resources, and while waste management is not the standalone solution, it plays a crucial role in addressing water security.
ALSO READ: Emissions you don’t see: Waste as a climate issue in South Africa
