South Africa’s urban centres encounter substantial water supply challenges. While the larger cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban make the headlines, smaller towns experience the same challenges, often on a more severe scale.

While larger cities are vital, maintaining stable water infrastructure is equally essential for the health, economic vitality, and well-being of communities of smaller towns.

South Africa is inherently water-scarce, receiving an average annual rainfall of 497 mm, which is 50% less than the global average. This scarcity is exacerbated by uneven distribution and aging infrastructure. The eastern regions receive much of the rainfall, leaving the western parts arid. Compounding this issue is the ageing water infrastructure, which often leads to significant water losses and inefficiencies, resulting in an unstable water supply. As urban populations grow, the demand for water increases, putting additional stress on the already limited resources.

The health impact of water supply challenges

Since late 2023, residents in Johannesburg have frequently lost their water supply. In 2025, water consumption has surpassed permitted levels by 61%, causing nearly daily outages, with disruptions affecting residents, critical services, and economic activities.

Comparatively, in the smaller town of Hammanskraal, residents have lacked reliable, clean water for over ten years. The 2023 cholera outbreak, causing over 30 deaths, highlighted the urgent need for a solution. Despite existing infrastructure, the township north of Pretoria faces frequent water contamination and shortages. Residents often queue at boreholes or rely on municipal trucks for water.

The transmission of cholera is intricately linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities, with resource-poor communities, including refugees, rural communities, and temporary displacement camps, particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. Any disruption in water and sanitation systems or a sudden surge in community size owing to displacement can spark a humanitarian and health crisis, elevate the risk of cholera transmission, and trigger a regional epidemic.

Water management

Efficient water management becomes imperative in such a context. Urban centres, from busy metros like Johannesburg to smaller towns like Hammanskraal, must adopt advanced technologies and smart water management systems. These systems not only help in reducing water losses but also ensure that the distribution is fair and sufficient to meet the needs of all residents. By leveraging real-time data through sophisticated sensor technology, municipalities can identify and address issues promptly, preventing disruptions in supply and improving overall water usage efficiency. This proactive approach is essential in building resilience against the frequent droughts and ensuring a sustainable water supply for future generations.

Effective water management depends on the accurate measurement of water levels and pressure throughout the supply network. Without precise data, municipalities struggle to detect leaks, monitor consumption, and ensure a consistent supply. The challenge of maintaining a reliable water infrastructure is compounded by the issue of non-revenue water – water that is produced but not billed due to losses, which averages 31% across South African utilities. This significant loss of water not only represents a waste of valuable resources but also affects the financial viability of utility providers.

Reducing non-revenue water requires real-time monitoring and swift response to anomalies, tasks that are unmanageable without reliable instrumentation. Advanced sensor technology can provide continuous data on water levels and pressure, helping utilities to identify leaks quickly and take corrective actions. Accurate measurement can also aid in optimising water distribution, ensuring that the supply meets the varying demands of different areas within a city.

Precision leads to access

Even more importantly, precise data collection enables better planning and resource allocation. Municipalities can use the insights gained from monitoring systems to forecast demand, schedule maintenance, and plan infrastructure upgrades. This proactive approach is essential for managing water resources efficiently, particularly in a country where water scarcity is a persistent issue.

By investing in advanced instrumentation and adopting smart water management practices, South African urban centres can improve their water infrastructure and ensure a stable supply for their residents. Such measures are crucial not only for large metros but also for smaller towns, where the impact of water shortages can be even more severe. Reliable water infrastructure is foundational to the health, economic vitality, and resilience of communities, making it a priority for sustainable urban development.

The stability of water supply systems is a critical factor in the development and sustainability of South Africa’s urban areas. Addressing the challenges requires a combination of infrastructure investment, skilled management, and precise measurement tools. By adopting advanced instrumentation solutions, municipalities can enhance their capacity to provide reliable water services, fostering healthier and more resilient communities across the nation.

VEGA provides various technologies tailored to the needs of the water and wastewater industry, with instrumentation able to measure level and pressure accurately in various components of the water supply system. These sensors are designed to withstand harsh conditions and deliver precise readings, which are critical for effective water management.

How technology helps

Various technologies can be tailored to the needs of the water and wastewater industry. VEGA, a measurement technology company, has worked with municipalities and provides technology that can measure level and pressure accurately along various components of the water supply chain. These sensors are designed to withstand harsh conditions while still delivering precise readings, critical for effective water management.

By integrating VEGA’s sensors, municipalities can gain real-time insights into their water systems, enabling proactive maintenance and efficient resource allocation. The right solutions can facilitate better planning and decision-making. Accurate measurement data allows municipalities to forecast water demand more effectively, schedule routine maintenance, and plan infrastructure upgrades. This predictive capability helps in ensuring that water distribution meets the needs of varying areas within a city, preventing shortages and optimising resource use.

VEGA’s commitment to innovation ensures that its technology evolves to meet the changing demands of the water sector. Ongoing research and development efforts aim to introduce more efficient, reliable, and user-friendly measurement solutions, supporting the goal of sustainable water management.

By facilitating accurate measurement and real-time monitoring, VEGA helps municipalities manage their water resources more efficiently, ensuring a stable and reliable supply for all residents. This contribution is vital for the health, economic vitality, and resilience of communities, making it a priority for sustainable urban development.