Across Africa, water utilities are facing a common challenge. Ageing infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, climate variability and constrained public finances are placing unprecedented pressure on water systems, while customers expect more reliable, efficient and sustainable services.
Despite operating in different regulatory and economic environments, utilities are increasingly arriving at similar conclusions: improving water security is no longer about building more infrastructure alone.
It requires integrated planning, digital transformation, financial sustainability and stronger institutional capacity.
These themes were explored during a panel discussion at Water Security Africa, where utility leaders from Uganda, Kenya and South Africa shared practical lessons from projects already underway.
While each organisation presented its own experience, together they painted a broader picture of how Africa’s water sector is evolving from crisis response towards long-term resilience.
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For decades, investment has largely focused on expanding water production through new dams, treatment plants and bulk supply schemes.
Yet several speakers highlighted that increasing production capacity alone does not guarantee improved service delivery.
Gilbert Muhwezi, Senior Manager: Non-Revenue Water Management, Kampala, NWSC,Uganda shared Uganda’s experience and demonstrated how investments in treatment infrastructure can be undermined when distribution networks are not upgraded at the same pace.
As more water enters ageing pipelines, existing weaknesses including leaks, pressure issues and network constraints become increasingly apparent.
The discussion reinforced an important lesson for utilities across Africa: water infrastructure should no longer be viewed as a series of standalone projects but as an interconnected system.
The following must be planned together if investments are to deliver their intended benefits:
As infrastructure investment accelerates across the continent, integrated planning is becoming just as important as capital expenditure itself.
Digital transformation featured prominently throughout the discussion, reflecting a growing shift in how utilities manage increasingly complex water systems.
Ephantus Mugo, Project Manager, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Kenya, shared how smart metering, improved data collection and enhanced customer management systems are being deployed to better understand water consumption, improve billing accuracy and identify losses more quickly.
Rather than simply digitising existing processes, utilities are using data to make better operational decisions and optimise network performance.
The conversation highlighted an important evolution within the sector. Digital water technologies are no longer viewed purely as innovation projects or future ambitions they are becoming core operational tools that support daily decision-making.
From pressure management and leak detection to customer engagement and asset planning, access to reliable data is increasingly shaping how utilities prioritise investment and improve service delivery.
Reducing non-revenue water (NRW) remains one of Africa’s greatest opportunities to improve water security.
The panel highlighted that NRW extends far beyond physical leaks. Meter inaccuracies, unauthorised consumption, billing inefficiencies and operational losses all contribute to significant financial and resource losses for utilities.
Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company shared how increased bulk water availability exposed weaknesses within existing distribution networks, reinforcing the need for continuous monitoring and active pressure management.
Rather than viewing additional supply as the solution, utilities increasingly recognise that improving network efficiency delivers greater long-term value.
South Africa’s experience presented by Emmanuel Khomela, Executive Manager: Infrastructure Planning & Projects, ERWAT further illustrated the scale of the challenge.
High levels of water loss continue to place enormous pressure on municipal finances and infrastructure performance, while examples from better-performing municipalities demonstrate that sustained investment, proactive maintenance and effective asset management can significantly improve outcomes.
The discussion reinforced a growing consensus across the sector: reducing water losses is no longer simply an engineering objective. It has become fundamental to financial sustainability, operational resilience and future water security.
Public-private partnerships continue to feature prominently in discussions around water infrastructure financing, yet speakers cautioned that attracting investment alone does not guarantee successful outcomes.
Utilities increasingly recognise that effective partnerships depend on strong governance, organisational capacity and clearly defined roles before projects begin.
Kenya’s experience demonstrated that introducing new partnership models also requires internal change management.
Staff must understand how new delivery models support utility performance, while governance frameworks need to provide transparency, accountability and long-term confidence for investors.
The discussion highlighted that institutional capacity remains one of the most important enablers of successful infrastructure delivery.
Technology and finance can accelerate progress, but without capable organisations to manage projects, long-term improvements remain difficult to sustain.
Perhaps the strongest message to emerge from the discussion was the value of collaboration between African utilities.
Although utilities operate under different regulatory frameworks and financial constraints, many are addressing remarkably similar challenges.
Experiences shared from Uganda, Kenya and South Africa demonstrated that practical solutions already exist across the continent, from digital transformation and customer management to non-revenue water reduction and integrated infrastructure planning.
Rather than searching exclusively for international models, utilities increasingly have the opportunity to learn from successful African case studies that have been developed within comparable operating environments.
Knowledge exchange platforms are therefore becoming more than networking opportunities they are accelerating the adoption of proven approaches, reducing implementation risk and strengthening regional capacity.
If one message emerged clearly from the discussion, it is that Africa’s water sector is entering a new phase.
The conversation is shifting beyond expanding supply towards improving how water systems are managed, financed and maintained.
Infrastructure investment remains essential, but its success increasingly depends on digital capability, institutional strength, financial sustainability and collaboration across the value chain.
For utilities facing growing climate risks and rising customer expectations, resilience will not be achieved through a single technology or infrastructure project.
It will be built through integrated planning, better data, stronger partnerships and a willingness to learn from proven experience across the continent.
The encouraging reality is that many of these solutions are already being demonstrated by African utilities today. The next challenge is ensuring they are replicated at the scale and speed required to secure the continent’s water future.
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