Gauteng residents urged to reduce water usage as stricter restrictions loom

The Department of Water and Sanitation is calling on Gauteng residents to cut their water use as tougher restrictions may be on the cards for 2026.

Excessive use is largely due to non-revenue water, which is water lost within the system due to leaking infrastructure, weak billing systems, high water pressure, and illegal connections.

This accounts for up to 40% of the available water in some municipalities.

He explains that, while the City of Johannesburg has a good plan to improve its maintenance and infrastructure, it continues to struggle financially.

“South Africa is a water-scarce country; it is among the 30 most water-scarce countries in the world, so we should be using less than the international average.”

Phillips says residents who use large amounts of water daily must use less, rather than expecting everyone to drastically cut back.

“These are people who unnecessarily water their gardens when it’s not dry, and they don’t adhere to the restrictions being imposed by the municipalities.

“It’s those people that need to become more aware that their behaviour is resulting in the situation where we get water supply interruptions because demand is exceeding supply,” he says.

To listen to Phillips in conversation with 702’s Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: