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National Water Action Plan.pdf

Office of the Deputy President (The Presidency)Ref: https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/sites/default/files/2026-07/National%20Water%20Action%20Plan.pdf

Official source

Source domain: thepresidency.gov.za

Collected on 28 July 2026

Always confirm details on the official source before acting.

Our copy (archived 28 July 2026)Official source

What this means

The document is the South African National Water Action Plan (NWAP), setting out a national programme of priority interventions to address the water crisis and improve sustainable water service delivery. It describes immediate government interventions and longer-term reforms, including strengthening governance and accountability, enabling infrastructure investment, and accelerating regulatory and institutional change. It also sets out five areas of intervention and highlights key performance targets such as reducing non-revenue water (NRW) to 39.5% by 2031, alongside evidence-based problems across municipalities.

Facts

Reference

https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/sites/default/files/2026-07/National%20Water%20Action%20Plan.pdf

Key Takeaways

  • Document title: National Water Action Plan (NWAP)
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa quote from 2026 State of the Nation Address about elevating response to a National Water Crisis Committee
  • Aims to shift from failing municipal water service delivery to sustainable foundations for water services
  • NRW average: 47% across all Water Service Authorities (WSAs) vs benchmark 25%
  • Target: NRW decreases to 39.5% by 2031
  • Municipal performance evidence: 74% of WSAs scored poor/critical in drinking water and/or wastewater assessments
  • Municipal performance evidence: 46% of water supply systems had poor/bad microbiological compliance in 2023 (vs 5% in 2014)
  • Municipal performance evidence: 81% of municipal wastewater infrastructure in poor/critical condition
  • By Feb 2026: 38 worst-performing WSAs had not produced corrective action plans
  • Legislative actions: Water Services Amendment Bill introduced/prioritised; amendments to Water Services Act; legislation to establish an independent water regulator
  • Institutional actions: National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (completed); Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency being established
  • Immediate actions include: private sector project pipeline (at least three projects to market before end of the year), ring-fencing water revenues, and intensified technical support teams for priority municipalities
  • Water access programme: Water Access Acceleration Programme for Unserved Communities; 2 688 unserved communities identified
  • Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS)
  • Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency (IFISA)
  • National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints)
  • National Treasury (NT)
  • National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA)
  • Water Crisis Committee (WATERCOM)
  • Water Services Authority (WSA)
  • Water Service Provider (WSP)
  • Water Partnerships Office
  • Rand Water
  • Emfuleni
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa
  • Parliament of South Africa
  • Water Services Amendment Bill
  • Water Services Act
  • Constitution of South Africa
  • National Water Action Plan (NWAP)