PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA RELEASES THE NATIONAL WATER ACTION PLAN

President Cyril Ramaphosa, on Thursday 23 July 2026, released the National Water Action Plan following a meeting of the National Water Crisis Committee (WATERCOM) at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The National Water Action Plan (NWAP) sets out a focused, programmatic series of actions to ensure a reliable supply of quality water to all South Africans, aiming to address the root causes of the water supply challenges in many municipalities.

The Plan outlines strategic interventions to address the water crisis over the short, medium and long term.

The NWAP outlines a strategy to increase investment in infrastructure, including through private sector investment; to implement legal and regulatory reforms to improve municipal service delivery; and to address corruption and criminality in the water sector.

The NWAP was developed by WATERCOM, which was established following the 2026 State of the Nation Address in response to increasingly severe water supply interruptions in several parts of the country.

WATERCOM is chaired by the President and includes a range of government departments and public agencies responsible for implementing the Plan as well as the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

The Plan was informed by extensive consultation with stakeholders across all three spheres of government – national, provincial and local – and associations such as SALGA.

WATERCOM is working with municipalities to mobilise resources, expertise, and new partnerships to stabilise failing systems, recover critical services and expand access across the country. It will ensure a coordinated approach to the institutional and financing reforms necessary to achieve water security, including ring-fencing water revenues to ensure adequate maintenance of water assets and increasing investment in bulk water and distribution infrastructure.

In doing so, it will build on the work already being done by the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the National Treasury, among others, to address the challenges in the water sector.

In releasing the Plan, President Ramaphosa said: “By acting boldly and decisively to improve the performance of Eskom and reform our energy system, we were able to end load shedding and achieve a secure and reliable energy supply. Now, we are applying the same approach to the water crisis that has been unfolding in many parts of our country. The National Water Action Plan outlines a clear, practical and focused approach to ensure water security for all South Africans, no matter where they live.”

Government is firmly committed to ensuring a reliable supply of quality water for all South Africans. The Plan will bring together all spheres of government and social partners to achieve this objective.

Background Note

Too many municipalities, communities and businesses can no longer rely on safe, reliable water services – threatening public health, economic activity, and social stability.

The scale of the challenge now demands an urgent national response and a fundamental shift in how water services are managed.

The National Water Action Plan (NWAP) sets out a focused programme of priority interventions designed to establish new foundations for sustainable water service delivery.

Dedicated teams have been mandated to drive implementation, accelerate results, and catalyse long-term reform.

The NWAP identifies the root cause of the crisis as an inappropriate delivery model for water services. This is characterised by the absence of ring-fencing as water revenues are often used to fund other municipal functions, reducing the resources available for water infrastructure maintenance, investment and hiring skilled staff.

Additionally, diffuse accountability weakens incentives for effective and financially sustainable water management and service delivery as municipal water and sanitation departments are typically responsible for technical functions but have limited control over billing, revenue collection, and asset protection.

This points to a clear path to address this challenge, aligned with successful models and adapted to South Africa’s context.

WATERCOM will meet regularly to oversee the implementation of the Plan and to hold the responsible departments and agencies accountable for delivery.