Gauteng’s water ‘Day Zero’ looms amid governance failures – DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised concerns about the lack of urgency in addressing Gauteng’s looming water “Day Zero.”

According to Stephen Moore, DA Deputy Spokesperson on Water and Sanitation, municipalities across the province are failing to act decisively to prevent a crisis.

Moore noted that cooler weather, consistent rainfall, and reduced water demand during the holiday period may have temporarily averted water shortages in December. However, as schools reopen, businesses resume operations, and residents return, water consumption is once again climbing to record levels.

“This crisis is not the fault of paying consumers but of failing municipalities that lose nearly half of their clean water through non-revenue water losses,” said Moore. “Until this is corrected, the high volume of wasted water will inevitably lead to a ‘Day Zero’ for Gauteng.”

Last week, Gauteng recorded its fifth-highest weekly water consumption in the past year, with 3,502 megalitres consumed—just shy of