---
title: "Six out of 10 people in Gauteng worry that they will run out of water"
description: "A quality of life survey shows that water is a rising risk to wellbeing in the province."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "QUALITY OF LIFE"
author: "Ferial Haffajee"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/ferialhaffajee/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-22-six-out-of-10-people-in-gauteng-worry-that-they-will-run-out-of-water/"
published: "2024-10-22T21:58:24"
updated: "2024-10-23T08:44:09"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 367
---

# Six out of 10 people in Gauteng worry that they will run out of water

> A quality of life survey shows that water is a rising risk to wellbeing in the province.

By Ferial Haffajee · Published 22 October 2024, 23:58 SAST · Updated 23 October 2024, 10:44 SAST

## Key points
- As Gauteng's residents brace for summer, a sobering new survey reveals that 64% are fretting over a looming water crisis, with major metros like Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni grappling with dwindling supplies and declining water quality, leaving many to wonder if the province's transformation gains have gone down the drain.
- A recent Gauteng Quality of Life Survey reveals 64% of residents fear the province will run out of water amid a worsening crisis as summer approaches.
- The survey, with nearly 14,000 respondents, is the most comprehensive assessment of the water crisis in Gauteng to date.
- Water quality has deteriorated significantly, with only 60% of respondents reporting clean water, down from 75% in 2021.
- Major metros face frequent water cuts, with Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane experiencing high interruption rates, signalling a looming crisis for economic stability.

## Content

The Gauteng Quality of Life Survey released on October 22 shows that 64% of those interviewed are worried the province will run out of water. The province is in a water crisis with the three major metros – Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni – all under strain as summer arrives.

The survey has the second-largest sample base in South Africa with 13,795 respondents in 529 wards in the province. With more than 600 detailed interviews in each municipality in the province, the quality of life study is the most accurate ground-level barometer of the water crisis yet published.

Read more: [Water Shortages](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/water-shortage/#water-tips)

Usually, information is distilled via the water boards and government who try to downplay the problem because of its gravity and impact. The economy is still concentrated in Gauteng (although the Western Cape is catching up) and water access and stability are still key to growth in big sectors.

#### ![gauteng water](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Water-QualityofLife-Gauteng-graphic-1.png)

#### **Access to water**

After 1994, one of the biggest transformation gains achieved by the ANC was giving black people access to water – it was regarded as the pre-eminent development goal. Access is still high, but water quality has declined, according to the slide below from the survey results.

In the 2021 survey, 75% of respondents said their water was always clean, but three years later, the figure is down to 60% raising a concern not only about water supply, but also water quality. Access to water satisfaction is also declining, according to the survey’s results.

![gauteng water](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Water-QualityofLife-Gauteng-graphic-2.png)

Water cuts are frequent across all municipalities in the province and the trend has increased at a steep pace since the last survey was done. Ekurhuleni (38%), Johannesburg (37%) and Tshwane (40%) show that these major centres for jobs and possible economic growth are all struggling with intermittent and interrupted supply.

Lesedi and Emfuleni appear to be in a red zone for water supply while even Midvaal, which does well on other indicators, shows a 24% rate of water interruptions. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory says water is the next crisis. A months-long data investigation by Daily Maverick only in Johannesburg has shown that thousands of water interruptions a month are now a regular occurrence.

![gauteng water](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Water-QualityofLife-Gauteng-graphjic-3.png)

**DM**

[Media on Daily Maverick: "Water crisis question"](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-22-six-out-of-10-people-in-gauteng-worry-that-they-will-run-out-of-water/)