Prognosis & Predictions: Benoît le Roy – CEO, Water Ledger SA

Looking at the world that was and what could be in our annual power and energy feature

Prognosis of 2025

We held another Water Summit this year with the same narrative being put on the recurring water security agenda with one major difference in that the lack of accountability and sector wide reforms were not visible and required with “Ring Fencing” the overarching narrative.

South Africa also had record rains in the summer rainfall regions with most major dams overflowing at the end of the summer season giving us a good water reserve outlook

The gazetting of the Revised Compulsory National Water & Sanitation Services Standards with Regulation 3630 requiring all water and waste-water facilities to be overseen by classified operators to be compliant by the 30 June 2025 raises the big question ‘do all facilities now comply?’

We are also seeing that the Water Services Act is being modified to enforce the licencing of Water Services Providers so that licences can be revoked for non-compliances

Predictions for 2026

All of these legislative changes bode well for moving towards improved and compliant water services where the private sector will be called upon to assist in compliance at many levels but will require the elusive enforcement and accountability pillars to be effective. This is where our efforts need to be from now until all is in place to start the reboot.

South Africa just requires enforcement of its policies and legislation across the board and the requisite accountability will be inculcated.

With this background and a restated R7 trillion bill to achieve water security in SA by 2050, supposedly synchronised with the National Infrastructure Plan 20250 key policy, or R256 billion per annum, how do we overcome the current collapse of water services outside the Western Cape?

We have plenty to do in the water sector in South Africa with accommodating policies and legislation, now it’s our collective responsibility to enact the change and get going with aplomb. ESI

Cover photo: By ESI