Current event

Case 1: Payment Culture for Sustainable Water Services

Case owner: : Umngeni Water Services (Pty) Ltd

In South Africa, non-payment for municipal water services has become a national crisis, undermining financial sustainability and infrastructure upkeep. Rural and township users often perceive water as a free entitlement, while leak reporting and maintenance co-ownership have declined. Political messaging around free basic water and limited enforcement capacity have deepened this culture of non-payment. Attempts such as prepaid meters or restrictions face vandalism and resistance. How can communities, municipalities, and water boards restore co-ownership, accountability, and a willingness to pay – drawing lessons from early RDP era community-funded schemes – to build a sustainable payment culture and improve water service reliability?

Case 2: Reducing Non-Revenue Water

Case owner: Department of Water and Sanitation (South Africa)

South Africa faces one of the highest Non-Revenue Water (NRW) rates in the world, with many municipalities losing between 30 – 50% of their treated water before it even reaches consumers. A combination of physical leaks, faulty metering, illegal connections, and billing inefficiencies drives these losses. This does not only waste water, but costs municipalities billions of rand annually, threatening financial and service sustainability. DWS is seeking innovative solutions to help municipalities reduce NRW, turning water savings into tangible revenue. Wetskills participants are challenged to come up with innovative ideas and solutions that combine public and private investment and incentivize long-term action.

Case 3: Promoting Water Reuse and Recycling within SADC

Case owner: Water Research Commission

Water use efficiency is one of the pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals, and this concept promotes the use of various sources of water. The sustainable implementation of water reuse and recycling can be used as a strategy to curb freshwater abstractions, promote replenishment of groundwater, and promote efficient use and management of water resources, through the fit-for-purpose multiple uses of water. This case seeks innovative ideas for a roadmap that facilitates the sustainable implementation of water reuse projects for potable and non-potable purposes within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Case 4: Digital Solutions for Integrated Water Management

Case owner: Rand Water

Facing climate pressures, population growth, and aging infrastructure, SADC countries require innovative solutions to strengthen service delivery and resilience, like a Digital Transformation. This promotes the use of IoT, GIS, remote sensing and data analytics within a regional digital-water competence ecosystem. Key actions include capacity assessments, digital training frameworks, pilot “living labs” and citizen-science platforms. By equipping utilities, training institutes and agencies with digital tools and skills, the project aims to enhance governance, efficiency and climate resilience, supporting SADC’s goals for integrated water management and sustainable development.

Case 5: GreenSource Off-Grid technology

Case owner: Twinx (The Netherlands)

Many rural communities in South Africa lack reliable access to safe drinking water, especially in areas where infrastructure is weak or groundwater is saline. GreenSource Off Grid introduces a fully off-grid water filtration concept powered by reverse osmosis, combined with a small bottling unit and a community water kiosk. The challenge is to assess whether this decentralized solution can compete with existing (mainly on-grid) systems, and how it could be positioned for both social impact and commercial viability. Students are asked to explore market fit, pricing, user trust, and potential partnerships, and to identify where such systems would be most beneficial. The outcome should inform a realistic go-to-market strategy for South Africa.