Download PDFThe water crisis in Johannesburg is one of the main effects on sanitation.
It has a lot of effects on the health of people who live in less fortunate communities because they might not have the means to purchase water to be able to take their medication. This may worsen the condition of their illness. Even community members without illness are affected, as they cannot afford to buy water. Therefore, they are dehydrated, which can cause them to become ill and can even cause hypothermia.
Currently, the lack of maintenance of water pipes is causing a malfunction in the drainage system at flats. In some communities, the water they receive is not as clean as it should be because the filtering systems are not being maintained. As a result of this, people are contracting diseases.
As communities in Johannesburg, they should hold their councillors, mayor, and ward councillors accountable and find a way forward. For the time being, government or even ward councillors should provide each household with a water filter. They should also have more water trucks going out, especially in informal settlements.
Water is a need, and it should be a priority for the government, not just something they try to fix when it is not brown.
This article was submitted on 23 April 2026. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
