Since 2021, the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has assisted 1 688 registered indigent households, by repairing private water leaks on their properties. These repairs help prevent unnecessary water losses and ensure that vulnerable residents can manage their water consumption more effectively. Read more below:
Households are identified based on unexplained high water usage. Once the City engages with the affected resident and inspects the property to find the source of the water leak, repairs are conducted at no cost to the property owner.
‘Indigent customers receive a free water allocation of 15 000 litres (15kl) per month. Consumption above this threshold may result in water supply restrictions, making leak repairs critical for sustainable water use.
‘To support these residents, the City offers a once-off leak repair benefit to qualifying households. Beneficiaries are determined by analysing trends where registered indigent properties are found to be consuming water above 50 000 litres (50Kl) per month.
‘Households who opted in for the programme will be assisted with repairs to leaking internal pipes, taps, toilets, fittings and meter replacements, as determined by individual needs,’ said Councillor Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
The City has invested R3,8 million towards this programme for the 2024/2025 financial year.
The top 10 areas where the City has recently conducted leak repairs includes: Nyanga, Philippi, Gugulethu, Delft, Leiden, Bloekombos, Wallacedene, Tafelsig, Vrygrond and Bonteheuwel.
‘Through this initiative, water losses are reduced and it demonstrates the importance of residents maintaining plumbing on private properties to avoid unnecessary costs. The growing uptake of the programme is encouraging and shows how aware indigent customers have become, about water-wise behaviours.
‘Regardless of the season or our dam levels, we must all continue to save water and use our resources responsibly,’ said Councillor Badroodien.
Helpful guides on ‘Finding and Fixing leaks’ are available here: http://www.capetown.gov.za/
