Water is not failing South Africa. Systems are. Behind the headlines of shortages and restrictions lies a deeper challenge of skills, governance and accountability.

South Africa’s water sector is at a turning point. We are a country defined by scarcity, with average rainfall less than half the global norm, and yet our challenges are not only natural – they are systemic. Infrastructure is ageing, governance is uneven, and non‑revenue water losses hover around 41%, far above international benchmarks. These are not just statistics; they are signals of a sector under strain, and they demand a deliberate, professional response.

This is where WISA must step forward – not as a passive observer, but as the strategic backbone of transformation. Our role is not simply to convene conferences or publish papers. It is to professionalise the sector, to embed governance literacy where decisions are made, and to ensure that technical expertise is not confined to laboratories but is present in council chambers and municipal offices.

Councillors and municipal staff are the frontline of service delivery, yet too often they are asked to make decisions without the grounding to understand the technical and legal implications. We intend to change that. Training programmes tailored to their realities – covering governance obligations, operational management, and the fundamentals of water systems – are not optional; they are essential.

A call to action for every water professional

But training alone is not enough. The sector needs more professionals, and it needs them urgently. Engineers, scientists, process controllers and technicians must be drawn into the fold, accredited, and held to standards that ensure accountability. At the same time, we must recognise that experience is as valuable as formal qualifications. Knowledge transfer – passing on lessons learned in the field, sharing the scars and successes of decades of practice – is the lifeblood of sustainability. If we fail to capture and share that wisdom, we risk repeating mistakes and losing hard‑won insights.

This is why WISA calls on its members to act. Not in abstract, but in practice: to mentor, to publish, to present, to guide. Every member carries within them a piece of the sector’s collective memory, and it is only by sharing that memory that we can build resilience. The charge required in the water sector is not only technical; it is ethical, collaborative, and professional. We must be willing to stand together, to professionalise together, and to transform together.

The water crisis is not waiting for us to catch up. It is here, and it is pressing.

But with WISA’s leadership, and with the commitment of our members, we can ensure that South Africa’s water future is not defined by scarcity alone, but by professionalism, governance, and shared expertise. That is the vision we must pursue, and it is the responsibility we cannot ignore.

Expert insight by Dr. Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA