26 November 2025 – 16:15
Media Release
Johannesburg Water opens its doors to media, showcasing high-tech leak detection efforts
Johannesburg Water hosted a media tour today that offered journalists a rare, close-up look at the utility’s intensified leak detection operations, an essential component of the City of Johannesburg’s strategy to curb water losses and protect its fragile water supply.
“With South Africa facing increasing water scarcity and ageing infrastructure, the Entity has adopted a more proactive and high-tech approach to managing leaks,” says Johannesburg Water’s Thega Kandasamy, Acting Physical Loss Manager.
“Today we highlighted how Johannesburg Water is leveraging advanced technology and specialised equipment to find and fix leaks faster, ultimately reducing non-revenue water and improving service reliability for residents.”
During the tour, Johannesburg Water highlighted the suite of advanced tools and systems that form the backbone of its Leak Detection Programme, including:
- Acoustic leak detection devices are used to listen for and pinpoint hidden leaks along pipelines.
- Correlators that analyse sound frequencies to identify the exact location of underground losses.
- Pressure management through pressure-reducing valves (PRVs).
- Digital monitoring and evaluation of both the PRV smart controllers and the noise loggers.
Johannesburg Water has thus far installed 51 smart controllers and 225 noiseloggers across the City, with plans to install additional smart controllers, noise loggers, and leak detection equipment.
These technologies enable Johannesburg Water to adopt a proactive rather than reactive approach, significantly reducing response times, preventing avoidable bursts, and improvingservice reliability.
Ends
Issued by Johannesburg Water Communication and Marketing.