Nearly half (46.1%) of Joburg’s water is ‘non-revenue’ water, which means the city loses out on potential revenue from water sales. The proportion of unbilled water has increased from 35% in 2013 to 46.1%, according to Joburg Water’s annual reports.
About a quarter of this (24%) is water lost to leaks. Unbilled authorised consumption – water supplied to informal environments and used for network maintenance – is 12.7%. The remaining 9.4% is ‘commercial losses’, described as illegal connections and meters.
In June 2023, the city had 297 water pipe bursts per 100km of pipes – the equivalent of three holes in every 1km of pipe. Pipe bursts occur when water fluctuations lead to air pockets, and the pressure of water hitting a pocket results in a pipe breaking.