Alongside routine maintenance and repairs, specialised teams conduct targeted visual leak detection inspections on water pipes throughout the city.

• Leak Detection teams surveyed about 50% of the City’s 11 500km water distribution network in the 2024/2025 financial year. Some 793 leaks were identified and fixed on 5 562km of pipeline that was inspected over 12 months.
• In the first six months of the current financial year (July 2025 to December 2025), the teams identified and reported 636 leaks for repair by the City’s maintenance teams. Of the 134 areas inspected, the 10 areas with the highest number of leaks were Khayelitsha, Elsies River, Mfuleni, Gugulethu, Grassy Park, Crossroads, Electric City, Bloekombos and Ocean View.

Work in action

Inspection areas are prioritised using a range of criteria, including the age of the water pipes, leakage levels recorded during night-time flow monitoring, water pressure levels and pipe material type. This approach ensures that leak detection resources are focused on areas of greatest need. This targeted approach is helping to deliver nearly 5,8 million litres of water saved every day across the metro.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, recently joined teams on a visual leak detection exercise in Goodwood, highlighting the importance of proactive interventions to curb water losses.

Beyond identifying visible leaks, teams also check and report water running to waste, damaged infrastructure and visible wet patches that may indicate underground leaks. Once a leak is identified, a service request is logged to ensure repairs are carried out. In most cases, repairs are completed internally by the relevant City depot, followed by a site visit to confirm the issue has been resolved.

‘Water is a vital resource and we all have a responsibility to protect and use it wisely, regardless of the season or dam levels. The leak detection programme is particularly important as it not only reduces water loss, but also saves costs through proactive maintenance. Every litre saved helps to safeguard our limited water resources for future supply.

‘This programme also contributes significantly to the City’s strong performance in the National Department of Water and Sanitation’s No Drop assessment, which evaluates water conservation and demand management practices,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Councillor Zahid Badroodien.

Collective call to be water wise

‘With dam levels dropping below 60% and the continued high usage, it’s vital for all of us to work together to reduce our collective water usage below the target of 975 million litres of water a day. While the City is attending to leaks on its infrastructure, residents are reminded to check for, and repair, any private leaks on their properties too. Let’s all work together to be water wise and look after our available supply,’ said Councillor Badroodien.

Caption 1: The City’s Leak Detection team on-site in Goodwood with Ward 27 Councillor Cecile Janse van Rensburg and Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation Councillor Zahid Badroodien during a proactive inspection aimed at safeguarding water resources and reducing water losses.

Caption 2: Ward 27 Councillor, Cecile Janse van Rensburg, and Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, accompany City official Thalita Voko during an on-site inspection of a water meter in Goodwood, highlighting the City’s targeted efforts to detect and address leaks early.

Caption 3: Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, joins City official Thabang Molehe during a visual leak detection exercise, using specialised equipment to identify underground leaks as part of the City’s proactive water loss reduction programme.