Johannesburg Water and the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) are taking bold steps towards transforming sanitation services by championing innovative, water-efficient solutions that promise greater dignity, sustainability, and resilience for communities across the City.

In partnership with the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the South African Local Government Association, the Water Partnerships Office, the Water Research Commission, and Planact, the City is hosting the symposium on Advancing Water-Efficient Sanitation Solutions on 30 and 31 July 2026.

The landmark event brings together government leaders, researchers, industry innovators, financiers, community organisations, and development agencies to reimagine the future of sanitation in South Africa. Against a backdrop of rapid urbanisation, population growth, and increasing pressure on conventional sanitation infrastructure, the symposium provides a platform to explore practical and innovative alternatives that can improve service delivery for thousands of households.

For Johannesburg Water and CoJ, the symposium demonstrates a firm commitment to finding innovative ways to address longstanding sanitation challenges while ensuring residents receive services that uphold their dignity.

“As Johannesburg Water, we want to demonstrate that we’ve done our due diligence, want to solve problems, and want to provide our residents with sustainable solutions to dignified sanitation services,” says Dr Zakhele Khuzwayo, Johannesburg Water’s Senior Manager for Innovation and Technology.

Addressing delegates at the symposium, Dr Khuzwayo also spoke on the service delivery challenges the City faces, citing that Johannesburg’s growing population has contributed to the expansion of informal settlements, with the Human Settlements Department recording approximately 355 informal settlements across the City in 2024. By the end of the 2025/26 Financial Year, the sanitation backlog in these communities stood at over 103 000 households.

“Despite these challenges, the City has continued to provide essential sanitation through a range of solutions, including the Clear Water Recirculation Toilet System, a close-loop full recycle toilet system that offers an off-grid solution that will expectantly work in areas with little water supply.”

As Johannesburg continues to grow, initiatives such as the Advancing Water- Efficient Sanitation Solutions Symposium demonstrate Johannesburg Water’s commitment to building inclusive, sustainable communities where every resident has access to safe and dignified sanitation.