Forward-thinking municipalities are using strategic upgrades and smart partnerships to safeguard water supply

It’s no secret that South Africa's water infrastructure is under severe strain due to aging systems and insufficient investment. Johannesburg Water alone faces a substantial infrastructure renewal backlog of R27 billion, exacerbated by non-revenue water (NRW) leaks that cause the city to lose about 40% of its water supply.

Most concerning is that Johannesburg is not alone in its water woes. Municipalities across South Africa are grappling with a range of persistent issues. Aging equipment is a critical challenge, with many systems relying on outdated components from manufacturers that no longer provide support or spare parts. This lack of availability forces municipalities to contend with long lead times and increased costs when sourcing replacements.

"This is an emergency, and we need an urgent and reliable national plan for water." – President Cyril Ramaphosa

Compounding these issues are frequent power disruptions (often, but not always, from load shedding), which cause sensitive equipment to trip. The result is a fragile network that struggles to keep pace with increasing demand and operational pressures.

Moving beyond theory

Preventative maintenance is a well-established concept, but recognising its value isn’t enough. The real challenge is putting it into practice, applying preventative strategies with the kind of precision and consistency that builds resilience.

Some forward-thinking municipalities have already moved beyond reactive maintenance, recognising it as an unsustainable, short-term fix. These metros have shifted their focus to the big picture, with a view to building resilience into infrastructure so systems can keep up with growing demand.

What forward-thinking metros are doing differently

Case in point, ElectroMechanica (EM) was involved with a major metro’s recent infrastructure upgrade project. The existing medium voltage (MV) drive system had been operational for over 15 years. Spare parts were becoming increasingly hard to come by and as a result technical support was poor. Power outages compounded the problem, tripping equipment and resulting in disrupted critical water transfer operations.

“We went with the Delta MV Drive—it ticked all the boxes: efficient, SCADA-ready, ride through power-losses feature all backed by the solid support teams at EM and Delta.”

The EM team worked with the system integrator and the metro’s engineering team to assess the site conditions, performance needs, and integration requirements. The decision-makers settled on the Delta MV Drive as the solution that best met the project's technical demands and long-term reliability targets.

The Delta MV Drive installation was carefully planned to maintain full system uptime. Through close collaboration with the on-site team and a phased approach, we successfully executed the upgrade without any interruption to operations.

“This project showed what happens when preventative maintenance is done right.”

Why Delta?

The Delta MV Drive provided:

  • Power-loss ride-through capability, preventing drive trips during power dips.
  • High energy efficiency (98.5%), reducing operational costs.
  • SCADA compatibility, enabling real-time monitoring and automation without the need for a full control system upgrade.
  • Local support, ensuring technical expertise and spare parts availability for future maintenance.

With an efficiency rating of 98.5%, the drive has reduced both energy consumption and operational costs. Its power-loss ride-through functionality keeps operations running smoothly, providing crucial stability during power dips and outages. And being able to run at 60% motor speed, it has minimised mechanical wear, extending the lifespan of critical components.

The drive’s compatibility with the metro’s existing SCADA system has allowed for real-time monitoring without requiring a costly system overhaul. This seamless integration allows operators to track performance metrics and minimise disruptions thanks to early detection of potential issues. Local EM support also ensures that replacement parts and expertise is available when needed.

“For municipalities dealing with outdated systems, the takeaway is clear: the right partnerships and a practical approach to integration are essential.”

Resilience isn’t built on good intentions

Building resilience needs practical, proactive steps to strengthen infrastructure before disruptions occur. As systems continue to age and operational demands keep rising, municipalities need solutions that provide stability and efficiency, not just short-term fixes.

With R28.4 billion in fiscal resources now allocated through the Infrastructure Fund and blended finance initiatives, there is growing capacity to move critical infrastructure projects forward.3 For municipalities, it’s a chance to put that funding to work through technologies that improve reliability and extend asset life.

The way forward is clear…

We need to build resilience into the infrastructure itself and stay ahead of problems instead of playing catch-up. At EM, we work with our partners to make that happen. Contact us.