As South Africa’s infrastructure challenges continue to rise, homeowners have to take a more active role in managing risks that were once considered external.
This includes routine maintenance checks, monitoring for early signs of leaks, and ensuring that plumbing systems can handle fluctuating pressure, says BetterSure Financial Consultants.
The home insurance specialist company says this also means taking a closer look at insurance cover, not just as protection against major disasters, but as a tool for navigating everyday risks.
“Water-related claims are becoming more complex as infrastructure issues increase,” says Christo Stoman, COO at BetterSure Financial Consultants.
“We’re seeing more cases where damage is linked to factors beyond the homeowner’s control, which makes it critical for people to understand both their risk exposure and how their cover responds.”
Proactivity is key
The company says one of the most practical steps homeowners can take is to review their insurance policies in detail.
It says this includes checking whether cover extends to sudden and accidental water damage, which most policies do cover, how claims linked to municipal failures are treated, and if there are exclusions for gradual damage or poor maintenance, which is generally excluded by most policies.
As South Africa’s water challenges continue, the impact on homeowners is becoming more real, says BetterSure.
It says that rather than a single, isolated crisis, the country is seeing a pattern of localised water issues, each with different causes, but with similar consequences for households. For property owners, this means adapting to a more complex environment where external infrastructure risks are part of everyday homeownership, it says.
Water instability is prominent across SA
South Africa is facing a water crisis. These range from Gauteng’s ageing systems to infrastructure failures in KwaZulu-Natal and drought-stricken areas in the Eastern Cape; water instability is a prominent issue across the country.
Recently, reports of pipe bursts, prolonged leaks and crumbling municipal systems have intensified. In some areas, water has flowed unchecked through streets for weeks, and in others, supply interruptions have placed strain on household plumbing systems.
There has been a nationwide outcry, with many trying to make sense of the water shortages and dry pipes after historic floods were seen throughout the country in 2026.
Burst municipal pipes do not just waste water; they can cause direct and lasting damage, says BetterSure.
It says floods can weaken foundations, unchecked leaks can seep into properties, and recurring pressure fluctuations can weaken internal plumbing systems. For homeowners, the risks are no longer hypothetical, it warns.
Many homeowners assume that any water-related damage will be covered by insurance, particularly when it comes to infrastructure-related incidents, the insurance specialist says. It says some insurers charge an additional premium for wear and tear cover, while others distinguish between pressurised and non-pressurised pipes, with non-pressurised pipes typically not being covered at all.
“There is also the risk of accidental damage due to taps not being closed during periods where there is no water, and this can lead to significant damage if left unattended.”
While it is easy to write off unreliable water supply and infrastructure decay in Gauteng as a politically driven issue, the situation is the result of a conflux of circumstances, says Leon Kok, chief operating officer at Redefine Properties, with expert input from Gerrie Brink, AQUAffection founder and managing director.
The property developer says Johannesburg is one of the world’s largest cities, not built close to a natural water source.
“It is also high lying and sits atop a watershed, requiring water to be pumped hundreds of metres above its primary source, the Vaal Dam. Joburg itself is also an economic powerhouse and home to around 16.1 million people, around a quarter of the country’s entire population.”
The challenge of addressing complex infrastructure problems is compounded
As a result, Redefine says the challenge of addressing complex infrastructure problems is compounded by the need to expand said infrastructure to meet the present and future needs of people, businesses, and the economy.
It adds that nearly half of Johannesburg’s water is non-revenue water, lost to pipe leaks, bursts and illegal connections, with 72% of that amount attributed to inadequate investment in infrastructure and a lack of corrective action.
Failing to address this comes at the cost of the city’s economic stagnation, which South Africa cannot afford to continue, warns Redefine.
South Africans have a shared responsibility to invest in water efficiency
While a turnaround strategy is being spearheaded by the government, South Africans have a shared responsibility to invest in water efficiency, supply resilience, and live and work in a way that eases pressures on municipal systems, says Kok and Brink.
For the private sector, that means prioritising water security and resource management as part of enterprises’ growth strategies and ESG frameworks, they say.
“By making a commitment at that level, and institutionalising optimised water consumption and efficiency, businesses serve as responsible corporate citizens and play their part in addressing the greater challenge.”
Cost-effective intervention
For property owners, they say monitoring water use and managing consumption patterns can be an immediate and cost-effective intervention. While Gauteng’s water crisis is partly systemic and thus beyond the control of private operators, operators still have the power to make changes, the adds.
“Businesses and property owners can lower their demand through water-efficient fittings, smart metering, leak detection and targeted efficiency projects, enabling them to manage their consumption more accurately and enhance their ability to respond to outages or system failures. Monitoring is then paired with greater awareness.
“By providing training and campaigning to all users of building space, they participate in lowering consumption even further and eliminating all potential waste sources.”
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