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President Cyril Ramaphosa has released the National Water Action Plan (NWAP), outlining the government’s strategy to address persistent water supply failures affecting municipalities across South Africa through infrastructure investment, regulatory reform and measures to tackle corruption in the sector.The plan was released on Thursday after a meeting of the national water crisis committee (Watercom). According to the presidency, the plan sets out a programme of short-, medium- and long-term interventions aimed at ensuring a reliable supply of quality water to households, businesses and communities while addressing the underlying causes of water shortages.Among its priorities are increasing investment in water infrastructure, including through private sector participation, introducing legal and regulatory reforms to improve municipal service delivery and strengthening efforts to combat corruption and criminality in the water sector.The plan was developed by Watercom, which was established after Ramaphosa’s 2026 state of the nation address in response to worsening water supply interruptions across the country. Chaired by the president, the committee includes national government departments, public agencies and the South African Local Government Association.The government said the plan was informed by consultations with stakeholders across national, provincial and local government, as well as organised local government.As part of its implementation, Watercom will work with municipalities to mobilise financial resources, technical expertise and new partnerships to stabilise failing water systems, restore critical services and expand access to water.The committee will also oversee institutional and financing reforms aimed at improving the sustainability of municipal water services. These include proposals to ring-fence municipal water revenues to ensure funds collected for water services are used to maintain infrastructure and invest in new assets, as well as increasing investment in bulk water supply and distribution networks.The presidency said the reforms will build on existing work being undertaken by the departments of water & sanitation, co-operative governance & traditional affairs, and the National Treasury.Speaking at the launch of the plan, Ramaphosa drew parallels with the government’s efforts to resolve South Africa’s electricity crisis.“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,” he said.He said the national water action plan provides “a clear, practical and focused approach” to achieving water security for all South Africans.According to the presidency, the plan identifies South Africa’s water crisis as stemming largely from weaknesses in the municipal water services delivery model.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.— Cyril RamaphosaIt argues that many municipalities fail to ring-fence water revenue, with income from water services frequently diverted to fund other municipal functions. This reduces funding available for infrastructure maintenance, capital investment and the recruitment of skilled technical staff.The plan also points to fragmented accountability in municipalities, where water and sanitation departments are responsible for delivering services but often have limited control over billing, revenue collection and protecting infrastructure.The government said dedicated implementation teams have been established to accelerate delivery of the plan’s priority interventions, while Watercom will meet regularly to monitor progress and hold departments and agencies accountable for implementation.The presidency said the action plan is intended to establish a new foundation for sustainable water service delivery and ensure reliable access to quality water countrywide.
