Maintenance and management of water infrastructure : a case study of Midvaal Local Municipality

Abstract

This study examines the critical challenges of maintaining and managing water infrastructure in Midvaal Local Municipality, South Africa, and their effects on water supply reliability. Persistent issues—such as aging infrastructure, insufficient funding, governance limitations, and inadequate institutional capacity—continue to hamper efforts to provide consistent, quality water services. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research gathered quantitative and qualitative data, including surveys from over 100 stakeholders and document analysis of municipal records. Findings highlight that deteriorating pipelines, poor preventive maintenance, and governance constraints contribute significantly to water disruptions and substandard quality compliance. Recommended interventions include adopting technologies like smart metering and leak detection to minimize water loss, strengthening governance, improving institutional skills through training, and boosting budget allocations for upgrades. These measures and a call for coordinated, multi-stakeholder involvement—including community engagement—are essential to achieve reliable, sustainable water management in South African municipalities.