By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Johannesburg households face a proposed 65.6% increase in a fixed monthly water levy from July, despite the City presenting water tariff increases as averaging about 12.5%, the Water Community Action Network (CAN) has said.
The organisation said the City of Johannesburg’s draft 2026/27 budget shows the water demand management levy for ordinary households increasing.
“This levy will increase from R65.08 per month to R107.74 per month, before VAT. Once VAT is added, households will pay around R124 every month for this charge alone – regardless of how much water they use,” WaterCAN said.
“The problem is not only the size of the increase, but how it has been presented. The city states in its budget summary that the ‘Demand Levy’ will increase by 12.5%, yet the actual increase for ordinary households is more than five times higher.”
WaterCAN Executive Director Ferrial Adam said the fixed levy was not clearly presented alongside the residential water usage tariff tables, making it difficult for residents to understand the full effect on their monthly bills.
“Unlike the water usage tariffs, where the old and new prices are shown side-by-side, the year-on-year levy increase is not clearly compared in the tariff tables,” Adam said.
“Residents would have to dig through multiple pages of the budget documents to even find it.”
WaterCAN said the levy applies to nearly every residential connection, including conventional post-paid households, prepaid water meter users, flats, complexes and multi-dwelling properties.
The organisation said the charge applies regardless of how much water a household uses, meaning residents who cut consumption to save money would still pay the full fixed levy every month.
“For low- and middle-income households already struggling with rising electricity, transport, and food costs, this creates another financial burden,” Adam said.
“Fixed charges are especially harmful because they punish people regardless of their efforts to conserve water,” said Adam.
WaterCAN said the city describes the levy as being used to cover “network costs and the cost of the base water installation over the lifespan of the meter”.
However, the organisation said the budget documents do not clearly show where the money will go, or whether it will be transferred directly to Johannesburg Water to improve infrastructure, repair leaks and maintain the water network.
“At a time when residents are constantly told to use less water, it is deeply concerning that the city is quietly increasing a fixed charge by 65.6%, while publicly describing tariff increases as averaging 12.5%,” WaterCAN said.
“This is part of an ongoing move by municipalities, including the City of Joburg, to increase fixed charges for services like water and electricity to secure a steady income stream regardless of how much customers consume.”
Adam said residents deserved “transparency, honesty, and a proper public explanation before such a major increase is approved”.
WaterCAN called on the city to disclose the full impact of the proposed levy increase on household bills, correct the “misleading” presentation of the tariff increases, and explain how revenue from the levy would be used.
The organisation also said the city should clarify whether the revenue would be ring-fenced for infrastructure repairs, maintenance and leak reduction, and ensure meaningful public consultation before the levy increase is approved.
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