Water Crisis Looms Over South Africas Business Landscape

Businesses across South Africa are facing a new crisis as interruptions to water supply become increasingly frequent and more severe.

Parts of Johannesburg, the countrys economic hub, have been forced to implement a water equivalent of load shedding - the rolling power cuts that the country has long faced - over recent months. Some areas have endured cuts to their water supply lasting up to 86 hours. On Monday, the citys central business district and dozens of suburbs suffered a complete loss of water as utility company Johannesburg Water conducted unplanned maintenance at a pumping station.

The growing crisis now threatens to have a major impact on the countrys economy, just as it is finally showing signs of recovery from the impact of power blackouts.

Its critical, says Alison Groves, discipline lead for built ecology at consulting firm WSP in Africa. You can always make electricity. With water if you dont have any in your pipes and you dont have any other backup, thats it. Your business stops.

No type of business is unscathed by the lack of water. Even office-based firms are affected.